Nail Top — Local services in City of Albany

On the busy street of Central Ave. This place is always packed. I would assume normally they do a pretty decent job if the wait can be about an hour or 2. I have had work done by different nail techs there which are pretty decent.

This specific visit I got there at 2pm and had work at 5pm. I thought this would have been enough time. I waited over an hour because once it was finally my turn they took someone who only came in to get her nail fixed, she only waited about 20 minutes. This means I had to wait longer and I would also get a different nail tech.

When it was finally my turn, I got paired with the nail tech I dreaded the most there. I have never had work done by him but I come here regularly enough (only because I have yet to find a place I absolutely love) to know that he will probably do an awful job. He talks too much for my liking, tries too hard to be funny and fit in with their main clientele, he's just never completely focused and seems like a joke to me. I honestly would have waited for the next nail tech if I didn't have to be at work in an hour and a half.

My only other option was to surrender the time I had just waited and walk out but I gave him a shot. I wish I would have listened to my gut and walked out. I have attached pictures of his work and what my natural nails looked like after I soaked them off that same day.

After waiting X amount of time and getting a horrible set done, I was also late to work. (I guess that's more my fault than theirs?) I thought I had allotted more than enough time but maybe if he didn't stop to look at his coworkers while he talked, actually focused or learned the art of multi-tasking I would have made it on time. I was about 8 minutes late.

When I finally made it to work I realized I forgot my work shoes and was sent home to get them. I stopped at the nail place to soak them off, because I couldn't stop crying on my way to work. That was a red flag for me because I barely ever cry about small things, but the job was just acceptable and there was absolutely no way I was going to wait 2 weeks to get another set.

When I got there I simply said, ‘please I just need these off. Can I have a soak?’ The tech who prepared my soak was the only tech who asked me what was wrong. No one seemed to care. Which was what made me decide to never come back here again. No one offered to do a new set, no one offered me a new day to come in to fix them, no one offered to give me a full refund or even a partial refund.

I paid $33 dollars for that set. I understand the concept, you get what you pay for but I have never had trouble getting a decent set at a nail salon of my choice for $30-$35 dollars.

They didn't charge me for the soak, because I think it was obvious that no one wants their nails to look like that.

I'm not gonna tell you to stay away from here because they have decent techs, Jenny and Tina are normally who I go to, Kandi (who did my soak) is a good bet too. And Sam (who is male) has impressed me with a beautiful mani/pedi before. What I WILL tell you is this is the risk you are taking if something does go wrong, don't expect them to care about you whether you make a scene or you don't.

Working part-time as a server, I don't believe in making a scene to get what you want. I don't think you need to throw a tantrum to be heard. It is sad that that is what some people are used to and learned that works. I will just never step foot in this nail salon unless I absolutely have to and even then I will go in at 10am when they open to guarantee I have the time and...

DO NOT GO TO THE GUYS worst nail experience i’ve ever had. i’m going back tomorrow to demand someone else redoes them because never have i EVER felt so bad about my nails. literally left the shop in tears. the heavier set older male there is the absolute rudest, most aggressive person i’ve ever had touch my hands!! i had asked for light pink french tip square nails and they came out CHUNKY, CROOKED and was cut MULTIPLE times on multiple fingers to the point of bleeding nonstop and hurt so so bad i started crying. they’re also not even the same length and shorter than i asked for!! like why is my one ring finger longer than the middle finger next to it?? the french tips are so much thicker than i had asked for and when i would calmly ask him to fix certain things such as making them more narrow or even just being gentler, he’d sigh loudly, and was getting short with me when all i was asking was for them to be done CORRECTLY. i genuinely can’t even look at them right now without bursting into tears that i spent $45 on these things. the first picture i attached is what i showed him (and kept showing him throughout the service) and you can see clearly in the rest of the pictures just how bad and irritated my nails and cuticles look.

• EDIT* i went back and my girl Kandy hooked me UP!! soooo much better; left smiling up the wazoo instead of sobbing :))) thank you so so much ladies

Been going to Nail Top off and on since 2014. Being from the city, the prices were high for me. But they are kinda cheap compared to other nail salons.

The wait is horrible. If you go on a Saturday at 10:25am, guarantee, every seat will be filled with people waiting. Get there when they open. Some days are less crowded than others. When I get there on those days, or right when they're open, I never have to wait.

Compared to other nail salons that I've been to in Albany, East Greenbush, Colonie, this is by far the best. Each time I get my nails done elsewhere, I wished that I went to Nail Top.

They do have a lot of techs. Some are better than others. I have one that I like because she does an excellent job on my nails and makes sure each one is level and even, but she always cuts me in one way or another :/ But for the most part, they are not bad. And for the talking, I am not a talker to strangers. When I go there, I make small talk to be friendly but if you don't want to talk, they will get the message.

Nail Top is a typical, no appointment, cheap salon. A full set starts at 20, a fill starts at 15 and prices go up depending on if you use gel, shape, nail design, etc. This is a no-frills establishment.

Below are 3 of the past nails that I've gotten done...