Em Beauty Bar

Em beauty bar is my go-​to place for regular shellac manicures and pedicures and even waxing. Not only is the service amazing, but the ladies are friendly and very sweet to everyone that walks in. Also, Jen has a gift for picking the best nailpolish colours for your skin tone! Just ask her!

I had scoured all the reviews on Unilocal before deciding on Em Beauty Bar and I really really really wanted to love this place.
But… it was okay. I came in for a mani pedi and ended up doing a shellac mani and a regular pedi. I came in on a Friday at around 4pm and it was completely empty. There was a girl at the counter with short hair who was slumped over the counter and did not acknowledge me at all. I had to announce myself before this other Japanese girl came to show me over to the pedicure area. I had to ask her if I could select my colors and I was only shown the wall and not the swatch wheel, which I later on spotted as she was doing my manicure. I would have preferred to use the swatch wheel as it’s easier for me to use in determining what color to pick. Otherwise, the girl was generous in allowing me to try out 3 reds on my nails before deciding on the one.
It was a nice place décor-​wise but very messy. In the pedicure area there was a mini fridge on the ground in the corner with the staff’s half-​eaten food and fruits all over the place. Definitely ruined the aesthetics of the place and was a cause for confusion. I understand that the space is small, but for a salon that seems to place a focus on décor, this definitely contradicted any of the deliberate furnishings. I also wish that there were places for me to put my jacket and my bag or that someone had at least offered me some water. The Japanese girl did a good job on my nails overall, but I noticed that my shellac nails chipped in multiple spots less than 1.5 weeks after my manicure. Typically shellac lasts at least 2 – 3 weeks for me, so this was definitely disappointing. Otherwise, EM wasn’t the best but wasn’t the worst… They have a pretty good selection of colors, their tools seem clean and the prices are alright.

It has been 2.5 weeks since my shellac manicure and NO CHIPPING. NA-​DA. IT IS STILL PERFECT! I have tried places in the PATH, places along church st, so a wide array of cheap and expensive places. Em Beauty Bar has become my new go-​to. Prices are decent for the area ($ 35 for shellac) and it is so worth it. My nail technician was this asian lady (forgot to grab her name) but she was so thorough and so was so professional.
I’m glad I found a nail bar that is worth very penny! Will definitely be going back. Highly recommend if you are in the area. The shop is on the 2^nd floor and is very cozy.

Was disappointed and frustrated when my friend and I showed up for our afternoon appointment and was met with locked doors. We tried calling the phone number and no one picked up. We were standing in the cold, trying to find another nail place. If there was an emergency, a written sign or a courtesy call to their clients would have been appreciated, so we didn’t have to make the trek downtown. We liked our first visit when we got our shellac manicures two weeks ago but we will not be returning as we expect more from a professional place of business.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place.
This is right beside my office, so I decided to check it out one day. I have come to only this place ever since. I’ve been to Her Majesty’s Pleasure and the Ten Spot and I find their work to be a lot sloppier than Em’s.
The staff is SO kind and they’re all quite talented. I have never left there unhappy with the work that they’ve done and am always so impressed with how long my manicures stay on for. My Shellac rarely chips until I am reaching the end of it’s cycle and a standard manicure lasted me 10 days (no chipping) and pedicure lasted about a month, despite having been on vacation in the water!
Prices are reasonable, and cheaper than HMP and Ten Spot, and you will leave there with a better experience.
Jen is passionate about the business she has built and her staff truly reflects that. They are so kind and focused on their clients.
I’ve recommended this place to all of my colleagues and friends.

I went to EM beauty without an appointment and they were quick to accommodate me for eyebrow threading. The lady there did a wonderful job shaping them. Will be coming back for sure!

I had a shellac mani done two weeks ago and still perfect!
I was the last appointment on a Sunday evening and my manicurist did not rush at all.
She also did not charge extra to remove my existing shellac.
Will return for more!

My fav nail salon! It’s a great experience as soon as you walk in and walk out. I’ve never left unhappy with my gel manicure or pedicure. I’m always so excited to go there because I love everyone who works there, always so much to catch up about. The salon is decorated so chic and modern. Do yourself a favor and check this salon out.

Em Beauty Bar is awesome! The space is cute and clean, the staff are super friendly and professional, and their work is impeccable. They always have great colour suggestions and will even blend custom colours for you. I highly recommend this place!

I really wish I could give this place 100 stars. I can’t say how happy I am to have finally found the perfect spot to get my monthly nail fix. Prior to «Em Beauty Bar» I was bouncing around the city. never really happy/​unhappy with my services, but the minute I stepped into this humble establishment, I knew I found my second home. The service is outstanding and they do amazing work! I get compliments on my nails all the time (right now i have a full set of gel extensions with a blood maroon polish!).
I discovered this «hidden gem» 7 months ago and from my very first experience, right through to my regular 3 week maintenance (mani/​pedi/​gel/​fills). I have never let anyone do my nails again besides Jen (the owner) and her ladies. Truthfully, I don’t just go there to get work done. I go there to spend time with these girls! I don’t like to use the word «customer service» because our relationship has definitely evolved to being great friends! But that experience is not unique to me, I see girls coming in there all the time who are definitely returning visitors — who come back for more because of the amazing «best friend service.»
When I walk through that door, it feels like I walked into my «girlfriends apartment». an extremely CLEAN girlfriends apartment. I see them cleaning all the time and I don’t feel nervous like I do at other places — and I’m super comfortable with them working on my hands and feet ! They definitely take care of the place and more importantly their guests!
I have nothing bad to say about them except that they are no longer «my little secret»! They are easily the best spot in town and they are getting busier without really any type of advertisement which says so much! I’m really excited to go back in a couple of weeks :)
If it’s your first time, I highly recommend you book an appointment with Jen. She’s phenomenal!

I can’t say enough about the professionalism and quality of the service at Em Beauty Bar. I went in yesterday afternoon for a new set of gel nails and was fortunate enough to have them done by Jenn, the owner.
I was prepared with photos of a look I had found on Instagram — a long almond shape in a deep burgundy which I knew would be awesome for fall. My nail were in rough shape before (super short overlay and the gel was pretty uneven) so she took the time to safely remove everything so she could start from scratch and give me exactly what I was looking for. She’s a pro with the electric file, so it wasn’t a time consuming process.
Total cost was $ 70+tip for a new set + the removal of my old gel. Fills are $ 45 so it will be less expensive from here on out. Definitely worth the price for the quality.
She was meticulous and extremely conscientious of making sure they were to my liking before I left. I’m super happy with the finished product and Em Beauty Bar is officially my new nail spot in TO.

I’m really surprised at the good reviews here. I had a horrible experience today. I went in for a shellac manicure. During the prep when my cuticles were being clipped she cut me a tiny bit, it was very minor but it burned when she was cleaning my nails. The other thing I noticed is the files/​buffers were not new, they were definitely used looking and pulled out a drawer which I’m pretty sure is unsanitary. When I got back to my office I noticed the work was very sloppy. I had polish on some of my cuticles and there were a few grainy bits in one nail. Will never return.

Just got a pedicure and a shellac mani. Outstanding job on both. Market prices, great service, cute salon.

Loved it! My nails look really good. The ladies are all incredibly nice. In Toronto for an extended stay for work and wanted the same service I get at home in NY. They are fantastic!

I cannot say enough great things about this place! Jenn and her team are such lovely people and the salon itself looks like a beautiful dream!
On Saturday on the way to Café Crêpe next door I saw an adorable sandwich board touting different pedicure and manicure specials. Midway through brunch I had the sudden desire to get those gorgeous almond fake nails that everyone currently seems to be sporting. I thought of Em Beauty Bar because of their sign and decided to look them up online.
I found their Facebook page which gave them glowing reviews and started swiping through their pictures. I found one that I fell in love with and decided right there and then to go to this place after we were done at brunch.
I walked up the steps into a very clean and beautiful salon. It’s small but it was designed beautifully — feminine, modern, and very neat and tidy. I spoke to one of the ladies standing there and asked if I could get gel nails done today and was told to wait 15 minutes. I ended up waiting more than half an hour I believe but it was okay because Jenn (the lovely owner) asked me to come sit by her and the other client that she was working on so I could look at the different colours and decide what design that I wanted.
Everyone was really delightful and sweet and I enjoyed just sitting there and taking in the surroundings. After browsing through Pinterest and deciding on the kind of design and colours I wanted, Jenn was finally ready for me. She’s very bubbly and fun to speak with, This was my first time ever getting fake nails so I had a ton of questions and she was so patient in explaining everything to me. I told her what I had in mind and she started right away.
She was very gentle, efficient and quick. She even asked someone to get me a class of water which was a great touch of customer service. While she was working on my nails the other employees kept commenting on how great they looked, and I had to agree! I was extremely excited to see the finished product and was not disappointed. She had captured all of the ideas that I had asked for and did an amazing job. She took pictures of my nails and I’ve taken some as well which I will post here shortly. She let me know to come back for refills in about 3 weeks and I definitely will. I have already recommended her to all of my friends that loved her work.
I am unsure of if the price was reasonable as this was the first time I ever got gel nails. The full set cost $ 65 with the nailpolish, and then an extra $ 15 for designs on all of my fingers. With taxes and tip it came to about $ 105 for myself. Totally worth it though.
The reason for missing one star is that during the day after I got the nails and the day after, I realized there were a bunch of tiny cuts around my cuticles which I hadn’t even noticed when she was doing as it was so painless. They do hurt a little when I wash my hands but it’s nothing that would stop me from going back. Also due to the long wait time I would highly recommend contacting them for an appointment instead of just walking in like I did.
Really excited about this place and hope to give them more of my business in the future! Would highly recommend Jenn to anyone new or curious about gei nails, or anyone who is already addicted to them (I know I am!)