Honey Nail Salon — Local services in New York

I don’t typically go to a salon to get my nails done because I have a full gel kit / materials at home, but went to Honey for a special upcoming occasion and it was right in the neighborhood. I run past it many times and the salon looks very clean so I figured I would give them a try. I am thoroughly impressed with my experience and will definitely come again in the future for a special “treat yourself” mani here and there.

I made an appointment online ahead of time, and the website was super easy to navigate. I arrived about 10 minutes early and was promptly seated. I worked with Ryan, who was super patient and attentive. They do use the drill bit to remove old gel, which I was a bit wary of at first but Ryan was very careful to not apply too much pressure or speed, and noticed if I was uncomfortable and would adjust accordingly.

I am SO picky about my nail shape and Ryan was attentive to make sure I was happy with the way they looked, double checking every single nail, etc.

They have a great selection of colors, I specifically asked for the OPI book and was a bit indecisive about the color, and he even gave me a great recommendation to layer on top of the two coats of Put It In Neutral I had initially that really complimented my skin tone (Passion).

Overall I thought the pricing was very reasonable ($49 before tax and tip), the salon was very clean, and everyone was...

I only came to this salon because it’s close to my home and my usual place didn’t have any availability for the next two weeks. The nail technician didn’t bother to explain the differences between gel brands and just assumed I knew everything. The gel she used felt incredibly heavy, and she couldn’t even apply it evenly. There were visible small bumps and dents on my nails, and when I pointed it out, she said it was “normal” because I used to have extensions. Excuse me? If there are bumps or dents, isn’t it your job as a technician to fix them instead of blaming me for not having natural nails? How about improving your skills first? Overall, it was a horrible experience. I’ve already decided to remove these nails this week because just looking at them is frustrating. I honestly feel like a clown spending $90 and wasting 2 hours, only to plan to get rid of it the next day. Total waste of money and time, and it ruined my mood.

Even my boyfriend who never pay attention to my nails noticed this time I have this...

UPDATE: The salon is spacious, clean, visually appealing and the staff is very nice. I have gone now a couple of times. For my last visit I wanted to use more than one nail color for my regular polish french manicure.I searched the site and their IG page but couldn't locate any pricing for designs or other style adjustments. When I asked the woman at the front desk, she said it would be an extra $30. I started by showing them an image with at least four or five different colors. So I asked how much it would cost if I only needed one more color added to my manicure. She stated that it would still be $30 more. Personally, I believe $30 extra for them to use a different color for a regular (non-gel) polish, french manicure is a bit much. This salon is closer to my apartment, so I wanted to give them a try, but I think I'll continue with my normal salon, which does an excellent job, has rates displayed for everything so there are no surprises, and does not charge you extra for using an...