Philadelphia Nails and Esthetics — Local services in Philadelphia

I truly wanted to give a higher rating based on my first experience, but unfortunately, my second visit brought the overall rating down to 3 stars.

I visited this nail salon on two occasions—December 29, 2024, and December 30, 2024—and had drastically different experiences each time.

December 29, 2024: My first visit was phenomenal! My nail technician, "G," exceeded every expectation. From the moment I arrived, G greeted me warmly, offered water, and created a welcoming atmosphere. He was personable, professional, and consistently checked in to ensure that the service aligned with what I wanted.

G handled my pedicure with care and precision, and the results were flawless. The experience was elevated by an excellent sugar foot scrub that left my feet feeling soft and rejuvenated—it was one of the best pedicures I’ve ever had!

What stood out most was his attention to detail and willingness to answer my questions. He even offered insightful recommendations tailored to my lifestyle when I asked about manicures. His exceptional service left such a positive impression that I immediately decided to return the next day to book a manicure. Lucky for me, they had a same-day opening.

December 30, 2024: Returning the next day, I was eager and excited after my wonderful pedicure. I learned that G doesn’t handle acrylic manicures, so I was assigned to another nail technician. Unfortunately, this is where my experience went downhill.

While the new nail tech was quiet (which I don’t mind), her table-side manner wasn’t as welcoming. I communicated that I wanted short almond-shaped acrylics, but the results were far from what I had envisioned. The nails ended up being excessively short, to the point that they caused discomfort for several days. During the appointment, the nail tech nicked me twice with the drill without offering an apology—just an “oh.” When one of my fingers started burning from a solution, her response was simply, “Oh, you have a cut.”

I also noticed a lack of communication overall. There was no check-in during the process to ensure we were on the same page, which could have resolved some of the issues with length. When I had questions about the payment breakdown, her responses were curt and made me feel like I was being bothersome. On top of that, the welcoming touches I experienced with G, like offering water or friendly conversation, were entirely absent.

To her credit, the color came out beautifully, and now that my nails have grown out, they are closer to the length I originally wanted. However, it's been just 11 days since the appointment, and one of the acrylics has already popped off, which is incredibly disappointing, especially after paying $100 (not including tip) for the service.

Final Thoughts: My first visit with G was outstanding, and I highly recommend him for pedicure services—especially for his incredible sugar foot scrub. However, my manicure experience with the other technician left me dissatisfied and frustrated. I believe it’s not just about the results but also about creating a comfortable and welcoming experience for clients. Small gestures, like checking in throughout the process or offering a friendly tone, can make a world of difference.

I hope this review serves as constructive feedback for the salon to ensure a more consistent client experience across all...

There are about five different nail salons all in the area and I’m very glad I picked Philadelphia Nails and Esthetics. I tried to come in for a walk-in on a Thursday afternoon, but they were booked up for the rest of the day. Fortunately, they were able to get me in the next day on Friday at 11am. The younger nail tech (unfortunately I don’t remember her name) was super friendly and nice and set up the appointment for me. They do have online booking, but they prefer if you call in to set an appointment because they can have problems with their online system. I was getting my nails done for my wedding on Sunday, so this worked out perfectly for me!

I believe it was Dottie that did my nails and she was very attentive. I was just getting a simple French mani and pedi for my wedding, but I was very particular about it because I didn’t want the white to be too wide. My nails are also short, so I didn’t want the white to overpower or have abnormal proportions compared to my natural nails. I also wanted the shape of my nails to be natural; not too square or have any sharp corners, especially for my toes since I’m a runner and my nails can dig into the side of my toes. She consistently asked me if it looked OK. There was one nail I didn’t like and she redid it without any hesitation. She did a great job listening to me and I got exactly what I wanted. I got gel on my fingers and regular polish on my toes. For my pedi, she filed down my calluses and gave me a sugar scrub on my feet and calves. This is my first time getting my nails done in Philly, and it was pricier than it is in my home town. This might just be Philly prices, but I’m not sure. I was very pleased though with the service I received and would recommend them!

For the pictures, these were taken 9 days after my appointment, so please ignore any wear and them being slightly grown out! But this can also give you an idea of how well they held up over...

I got acrylic removal, gel manicure, and a volcano pedicure. The best part was the acrylic removal. This takes a really long time and my nails were not damaged seriously in any way. So that’s good - hard to find places that will remove acrylic carefully. Then I asked them to apply gel but only if they had time. They said they did have time, but when they applied the gel, they applied to each nail and then had me put in each nail for literally 3 seconds. This means the gel lasted maybe 1 day before chipping. Not all nails chipped - just most used nails so index fingers / thumbs. I think it’s bc of incorrect application. Places always do all the nails and then set your nails in for 2 minutes. Then reapply and then UV for another 2. Top coat and another 2. This was each individual finger and then put in the uv lamp for 3 seconds. Of course it chipped… but it was cheap so I’m not that mad about it. I’m happy they preserved my nails removing the acrylic I had on.

The pedicure is overpriced for what it is. It was $85 and honestly pretty meh. They pour stuff from plastic bags. There’s really no massage. If you’re looking for a luxurious pedicure this isn’t it. If you want a quick pedicure - shape nails and polish change - I’d consider that...