The Best Nails Chicago — Local services in Chicago

Let me start by saying I think BNC's reviews are so mixed because people show up with the wrong expectations. This is not your typical neighborhood chop shop. If you're looking for a place you can walk in last minute/be done in 45m, this is not the place for you. But if you care about your nails/nail tech the way some people do with their hairstylist--meaning you're willing to take the time to research the techs and try several until you find the right style/skill level you're looking for--you will eventually find the GREATEST nail tech of your LIFE and you will never go anywhere else ever again. The longevity of the nails, the ability to recreate any design, a ton of on-trend color options, the most precise cuticle work... literally nobody does it better than them!!! I've been going to BNC exclusively for 3 years and I regularly get compliments on 3 and 4-week old nails.

Also just want to add that when you're trying to get in with artists who are in as high of demand as some of the techs at BNC, that "customer is always right"/pampered spa type vibe doesn't really apply in the same way. If you want the absolute best of the best in the city -- you book well in advance, you expect to pay accordingly, you respect their time regarding designs, you understand that there may be a wait every now and then (which truly is rare!), and you'll come to realize that all of that is COMPLETELY worth it for the quality of their work. But if being catered to is your #1 priority, it may not be the best match.

[Also - when I first started coming and had extensions that went way past my natural nail, I also had nails break occasionally. The gel is not the same (and not as damaging) as acrylic so it is more fragile when it's on it's own, but once your natural nail grows and supports the gel underneath, they're so strong, never break, and are seriously so much better than any other...

I used to love coming here (and I will still come because I love my nail tech) but the establishment is not up to par and I’m realizing has never been.

Couple things:

General cleanliness (not my nail tech) is bad. All the chairs are stained, the bathroom has toilet paper just sitting on top of the toilet and on the floor (you charge us minimum $109 for a manicure and you can’t get a toilet paper holder? Or better hand soap?) and dirty mops in the bathroom. It seems like the cost of manicures keeps going up while the quality of experience keeps going down. Also, last time I was here there was no water. They act like a luxury salon but it’s clear they just exploit their labor - the nail techs are paid by the HOUR which is insane.

If you do not have a dedicated relationship with your nail tech, good luck moving any appts around. Before I found my person, my appts were frequently cancelled, moved around, etc. Ever since the last salon manager left, the front desk staff is also not very friendly.

Now that european manicures are more popular, your best bet is to go somewhere else. I know amazing salons with much better quality experiences that are offering the service for around ~$75. Even the pedicure station here is a joke. It’s tucked behind some partition facing a brick wall. And don’t even get me started on the move to a new location. Literally barely any windows lol

Overall, the experience is just bad as a whole. I don’t feel treated well (offer drinks other than water in cups that are not just basic plastic, make the space look nicer, don’t buy white chairs for a SALON, treat your staff better and clean your bathroom and hallway up).

Do better for the cost you are charging! And also, start offering massages included in manicures. Sometimes I leave her paying close to $140 or more and it just feels like that doesn’t match the experience as a...

This place used to be amazing. My old review was 5 stars but I had a great technician and no issues. I was unhappy with my last service and received horrible customer service in return.

The nail technician asked me if I liked my length AFTER she put the nails on, set them and removed the guides to create the nails. It was completely done.. How am I supposed to say no, make them longer at that point?

I asked for a very specific nail design and asked are you able to do this nail texture I want, if you can't do this then I'll request something else. I was told yes she can do it.... No she could not. My nail design looks sloppy and she only did about half of what was requested and added on french tip where it wasn't supposed to be.

Now I don't want to bash a whole salon because of one bad technician. I have gotten nails done there before that looked amazing. However, I reached out to them about being unhappy with my service and I was left on read for 16 hours. They offered nothing to fix the problems. I was only told they'll do better on my refill.. I guess they don't care about making their customers happy. What is my incentive to come back after such a poor response. Offer to do my design for free next time or a discount.. being told they'll just do better is very poor business practice. This is a business and you need to keep customers happy.

So my advice to you as a consumer - be wary. You can take your chance going there, maybe your nails will look great but they don't care if you're happy or not. Spending $200 at a place that doesn't put value into customers is not a place I'm going to spend my money. You can go in thinking you're going in to have high class nails but they come out looking cheap and...