NAIL LAB PDX LLC — Local services in Portland

Update: $210 wothout tip I'm dropping 2 stars. Today, I went to get a fill. The last time I came, wow!! Amazing service. I will post my nails from last time compared to this time.

Okay, where do I begin? 5 minutes in, and the new nail tech, whose name I didn't catch, cut the top of my finger by the cuticle. Then and there, I had to switch to the service I was doing. I went from doing Builder gel to acrylic nails. Why? As you know, the builder gel ladies burn for about 10 seconds once in the UV light. So, I changed it. While she was adding my tips, one of them looked wonky. I thought she would fix it, but she continued until I kindly asked if we could do that nail over again, meaning retip it. She was like Why is it crooked? Yes, ma'am, it is. She sighed heavily. But did it. Then they moved me to the pedi cure chair. Everything was fine until she started filing my nails on the side. Bang another cut, slot right down the side of my nail. Pain!!! But I let it go. Then I asked for a French tip on my toenails, a dude with glasses, not my regular guy, asked if I wanted gel, it would look better. I look down at my toenails; he had prepped me for a gel pedi. Like for real!! This is my 4th or 5th time coming, and I have not once gotten gel on my toes. I showed him the color I wanted, and the tech usually matches the polish to the gel color I chose. Nope, not him. He brought me the colors, and I selected one. It was nice, but not what I asked for.

Okay, back to my nails. I get three colors, which is normal for me. For my index finger, I requested a French tip with an off-white one I had chosen (the same one for my toes that I didn't get). Yeah, that one, and she only did one coat. 1! I asked to add another coat, but she said it would look ugly. I was like Honey, I've been getting my nails done my whole life. If my nails look ugly, it's not me, it's the nail tech. And two coats on a French tip is regular. At least every single other time, I have gotten it. She sighed again, but did it anyway. Like bro, I am paying top dollar for this service, I expect top service. And get what I ask for. She said she couldn't do that when I showed her my design. I asked what you're good at, and she said, Whatever you want. But you just said you couldn't do what I wanted. I am so confused, but I am trying hard to work with her on the service. It was just so hard today. Usually, it's so easy and relaxing. Not today. I left so u happy. And then they added a charge of $5 for a shape. I have the box shape of the nail form. And I got charged $35 for a design I didn't like, at most $15 for the design I got today.

I think I am very disappointed because today was my self-care day, and they made it so difficult when it usually is not

You know, I will add one more star to the post because it is not the spa's fault. The new tech was just being oddly combative and uncomfortable.

The owner(s) are amazing and were trying to help the tech, but they weren't to getting it.

Update: My second visit was as relaxing and wonderful as the first. It felt comforting and soothing, and I appreciated every moment

1st visit Wow, I can't say enough! The service was incredible. Tia did my nails, and Kim did my toes....

As an out-of-town guest needing a last-minute manicure, I was encouraged to try Nail Lab PDX based on its high rating and available same-day appointment. Unfortunately, my experience did not meet the standards promised on your website.

Timing: I scheduled a 1:00 PM appointment, moved it to 1:15 (thank you for accommodating), and I did arrive a few minutes late. My service did not begin until approximately 1:45. I remained understanding yet also noted my time constraints. The delay ultimately disrupted the planned flow of the remainder of my day. After my acrylics were applied, I was asked to wait for them to “dry” while the technician assisted another client. This unnecessary pause felt more for staff convenience than for client experience.

Cleanliness & Sanitation: After waiting in a crowded lobby, I was moved to an empty station that appeared uncleaned after a prior client. Later, I was moved again to another station immediately after a client left, with no wipe-down of any surfaces. The desk was dusty and gritty, and later part of my cuticle was trimmed with clippers already on the desk, raising sanitation concerns.

Service & Professionalism: During filing and buffing, the technician was frequently looking away talking to staff handling business operations while still filing or buffing. They also had gotten up mid-service multiple times. I believe both of these left my nails uneven. When I raised this concern, the response was defensive rather than corrective, and the vibe became chilly from that point forward. The lack of focused attention is evident in the uneven and lumpy outcome of my nails. Additionally, the tech drew attention to a mark on my arm unrelated to the service, which felt unnecessary and uncomfortable. Callouts of blemishes on a client’s body are not needed and can be harmful.

Charges: At checkout, I was charged $3 for a “nail kit” I did not request and an extra fee for an almond shape. While I was offered the used nail file and buffer in a Ziplock, the fee for this was never mentioned. The charging for essential tools feels comparable to a surprise payment for paying for scissors at a haircut or silverware at a restaurant. After the visit, I reviewed the website and did find the fee for the almost shape, but there is no clear explanation of when a nail kit fee is mandatory or even what a nail kit is. It does mention that clients may bring their own “kit”, again, no clarity to what that is. Return customers are likely aware of the cost savings of keeping and bringing their kit back. The lack of transparency is misleading and if recouping the file and buffer cost is that important it could be addressed by including these costs in the standard service price.

Summary: Overall, my visit did not reflect the clean, welcoming, and professional environment promised. The issues including timing, cleanliness, attention, professionalism, and pricing transparency significantly affect client experience and confidence. You have potential, but addressing these areas is essential to maintaining trust and a...

Needed to have my nails done before an event the same evening and made an appointment the day before for the lunch hour. I selected "any technician" and basically just hoped the person was decent since I was on a tight timeline. I had dip removed and hybrid gel put on, chrome, and nail art. I don't usually go for the extras but Tia did such an incredible job helping me pick the type of gel, taking great care to remove the dip with no harm to my natural nails, shaping my nails perfectly (I am very Type A and am not even sure I have had someone shape my nails this well before) and gave me great feedback and advice when I had questions about the new type of gel I was testing out since the dip ruins my nails and regular gel peels off after a week. I've tried more salons than I can count, I'm from California and generally feel like the salons in the PNW are sub-par at best. I've lived here over a decade and until yesterday was still looking for a salon I can trust to go back again and again. They have a wonderful atmosphere, cute decor, welcoming and kind staff, and better drink options than any other salon I've been to. I also really appreciated that the staff chit-chatted with me and all seemed hip and fun, the music was good, there wasn't some random string of beach photos and Kenny G type music playing, and I felt like the nail techs all enjoy their job and take a lot of pride in their work rather than a 'churn' type of vibe. Tia took her time and my manicure is perfect. Super close to my cuticles, and as I mentioned, perfectly shaped. I genuinely feel like she hopes it lasts as long as possible rather than starting the gel further up to hope I have to come back in 2 weeks instead of ~3. All in all Tia took about an hour on my nails and I cannot believe how detail-oriented she was and how great they look for such a reasonable amount of time to be there. As an additional surprise, they have Thai iced (and hot) coffee and their beverages seem to be better than the usual bottom-shelf (which I generally avoid). I went for a Thai iced coffee since I was there mid-day and it was excellent. I highly recommend this salon, and will definitely be back to see Tia again for my next manicure. Thank you for such an...