Nail Garage

Concept and décor is cute and clean… product and service not so much. I’ve been to Nail Garage twice now, and have been disappointed both times. First time, I read the reviews on Unilocal and decided to come here because I thought the prices were reasonable. The two girls that did our nails were kind of standoffish and not friendly. I wanted a french manicure ($ 7 extra). The girl took a really long time, yet the end result was slightly sloppy. Also, the chairs at the counter were really uncomfortable. When we were paying, the owner was trying to push us to come back for some event (even though we were clearly uninterested). I probably wouldn’t have gone back again, but I received a certificate for Christmas. We had an appointment at 1pm for the 3 of us; but, when we walked in, the workers (three of them) were busy painting the nails of 3 customers. So basically we had to wait about 20 minutes until they were done with the other people. Okay, I get it, you’re a business and need to cram as many people as you can to be profitable, but what’s the point of making an appointment if it’s not going to start at the agreed upon time? Anyways, the girl who did my nails was friendly, but her work was slightly sloppy (polish did not cover all of the nail). I think this will be the last time I go to Nail Garage.

My sister and I just took my Mom to Nail Garage for some girl time and her first mani/​pedi ever. We had a great time, and since my Mom has diabetes, we were thrilled to know that both the gals in the store had experience with people with diabetes (they need to be treated very carefully, especially on their pedi’s to avoid injury). Mom really enjoyed her services. We spent quite a while in there, since we all got services (2 Groupons and 1 non-​Groupon). I’ve had many other manis, and this one was just a good. I also had to have a nail fixed, and the gel fix looks great. Raynette even gave me a tip to use when I polish my own nails. One thing I really liked is she asked me how I liked the length of my nails before she put on my polish – I actually wanted a few of them filed a little shorter.
I have walked out of salons before knowing that I’d have to re-​file or re-​shape my nails. Not today. My sister even did some shopping (there’s some jewelry for sale that’s made by the owner’s cousin), and got a really cute bracelet. I liked the salon both b/​c I was in good company and we could chat and relax, and also b/​c I could chat with Raynette and the woman who did my pedi (I didn’t get her name). Sometimes I have a hard time conversing with or understanding the gals at the other salons I go to.
As for the polish used, they use China Glaze and Zoya. Zoya is formaldehyde-​free, which is good, but also means it can come off more easily – maybe this is why some people were complaining about chips. China Glaze is a great brand, and imho, much more fun & modern than OPI. It’s all good stuff, and the Ceche Vite on my hands helped the polish dry quickly and I know it will stay on.
Another great thing about the Nail Garage is the parking. Right out back and free! So easy!

Like other users who bought the Groupon, I have to agree the quality was on par with what I could have done for myself at home. The paint on my toes was kind of sloppy, and the paint on my hands and toes was chipping by the next day.
To make matters worse, a girl came in midway through my appointment and wanted her fake nails removed… immediately. Initially the manicurist who was working on me asked her to wait until she was done with me. But when the girl said she couldn’t wait because her ride was on the way, the manicurist left me sitting there for a good 20 minutes while she helped the girl remove her fake nails. I was dumbfounded – and so was the other customer getting her nails done.
On the other hand, the chairs were comfy and the place is kind of cute. All things considered, though, I was disappointed. Other nail salons in town do better work, with better customer service, for comparable prices.

I also bought a groupon… Jay D’s review was on point. It really is true that you get what you pay for. If according to Ryan who said this was there attempt to thank their current customers and to get new customers, I think it did neither. If your thank you to your loyal customers is a mani/​pedi that could be done at home then thats a pretty lame thank you. And if that is their attempt to get new customers, fail.
I will start with the pedicure… I don’t know about other people but I get a pedicure so that my feet not only LOOK different but FEEL different also, as in they are softer and smoother, this was not the case. All that she basically did was cut my nails, file, and paint them. I CAN DO THAT AT HOME!
Manicure…so lackluster and honestly below average. My polish was not even, near the cuticles there was too much so it filled the area where nail and skin meet.
The best part about this place was that they gave me those pedicure slippers bc I had on closed toe shoes.
In response to Ryan’s justification by saying that it is a local girl just trying to make it, that is just a foolish thing to say. If you want to «make it» maybe try offering great products and services that people will want to buy and come back for. Saying that people should just go there and pay for mani/pedi’s that they could do on their own just bc it is a local business it ridiculous.
Will def not be going back there.
IN ADDITION– after I wrote this review apparently some people did not enjoy it and a certain My B. felt it necessary to write me this message…
«Didn’t ur mother ever told u,» if u dont have anything nice to say than DONT SAY IT AT ALL!
THATS WHAT U PAID FOR NG PEDI/​MANI. (VERY BASIC)
IF U WANTED A SPA PEDI MANI THAN PAY MORE!
NOTHING IS FREE IN THIS WORLD GIRLFRIEND!
PEOPLE LIKE U LIVE A VERY SAD LIFE. I FEEL SORRY FOR U.“
I replied that Unilocal is a place for opinions, good or bad. Not just «being nice».

I have to admit I was a little dissapointed with my experience here. I came after reading some good reviews on Unilocal (months ago) and took a peek at their web-​site. It seemed like a cool place for a pedi with a friend. We made an appointment for 7 in the evening and when we got there we got the feeling that if it weren’t for us than they would have been able to go home, which may have been true but if they wanted to close earlier they didn’t have to confirm our 7 pm appointment. Anyway, the pedi was about as good a quality as I could do myself for free. Also, the paint job wasn’t great at all and there color selection is limited. My friend ended up buying the groupon deal, but there is no way I would have even spent $ 20 on a mani/​pedi here when there are plenty of better places to get your nails done.
*Update*
I also recieved a message from this «My B».
«Didn’t ur mother ever told u,» if u dont have anything nice to say than DONT SAY IT AT ALL!
THATS WHAT U PAID FOR NG PEDI/​MANI. (VERY BASIC)
IF U WANTED A SPA PEDI MANI THAN PAY MORE!
NOTHING IS FREE IN THIS WORLD GIRLFRIEND!
PEOPLE LIKE U LIVE A VERY SAD LIFE. I FEEL SORRY FOR U.”

I also was a participant in the group on… It was definitely a get what you pay for type of deal and that’s okay too. I definitely just needed a basic manicure and pedi… nothing too fancy or whatever. But real talk, I love to paint nails and seriously all about it… I own 30+bottles of polish and I could do a different colour everyday… so when I pay for a manicure and I see missing spots or my nails showing thru cause it could really use that third coat? That’s no bueno. Fancy seats or leg massages– I’m not tripping. But when I see my nails and they already started to chip on day 2… naw, there’s an issue.

Strictly amateur — that’s pretty much how I would describe my experience here. Yes, I am one of the people who purchased a Groupon for this establishment. The Groupon states that you pay $ 20 for a mani/​pedi worth $ 40. Hate to break it to ya, but you get what you pay for.
I wasn’t greeted when I walked in — strike one! While the pedicure itself was decent, the polish job was poor. The girl who did my pedicure was pleasant, but was too concerned with her phone to really do a good job — strike two. My manicure was awful — strike three! She forgot the second coat of polish on my right hand so the polish on those nails was lighter than my left, seriously!!! WTH?! Air bubbles on two nails and dried top coat all over the skin surrounding my nails. AND, my nails weren’t shaped properly. Basically, it looks like a blind person (no offense) did my manicure. Even worse — I think the owner did my manicure. Booooooo!!!
I’m peeved because I bought two additional Groupons as a little treat for my mom and a friend, but now I’m too embarrassed to send them here because of the poor quality so I guess I’ll just eat the loss of $ 40. For all you bargain hunters who got the Groupon, skip the manicure and just get a pedicure.
In response to Ryan C’s defense of this establishment, sorry, my dear, but you have no idea what you are talking about. It’s NOT a deal when I could have done a better job myself for free. It’s NOT a deal if I walk out completely unsatisfied. It’s NOT a deal when I have to go somewhere else to have someone fix it! You are right; however, about not being able to get a decent $ 20 mani/​pedi anywhere. I guess the old saying holds true — if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
How is this place still in business?!
I’m also convinced that the good reviews are from family/​friends of the business owner and/​or from people who have never experienced a *decent* mani/​pedi. Erin L and Sexy T ARE speaking the truth.
Ladies and metros, take your nails and your money elsewhere.

I really really wanted to like this place… I was one of the Groupon masses and am always happy to try out new businesses. The technicians were extremely friendly, and the space was nice without being too cute. It had a neighborhood feel which I prefer to some of the overly-​slick salons in Ala Moana.
My two issues with it were that:
(A) their polish selection is pretty limited — not very many colors.
(B) the paint job didn’t last through the end of the day. An hour after I left I noticed bubbles and irregularities in the paint coat, and then it just started chipping from there.
I would have given 2 stars, except the staff was so nice and they seem to be eager to cultivate new clients.

The place is cute and nice, the service itself is pretty good, I do wish that the paint job could be a little better…
The reason I gave 2 stars instead of 4 stars is because we TOTALLY got ripped off… :(
I purchased 2 coupons from the Groupon promotion (one for a friend, one for myself) for $ 20/​each.
Each coupon is half off so basically I purchased 2 services that are suppose to be $ 40/​each. Which gives us NG pedi ($ 22) + mani (shorter version one, not sure how much this was suppose to be).
As 2 moms that rarely go out and get pampered, we decided to upgrade to the spa pedi and got additional services ($ 10/​each).
We ended up paying $ 75 EXTRA!
($ 25/​each for upgrade, $ 10/​each for additional services and tax)
The additional service charges and tax totally make sense, but the $ 25 for upgrade is ridiculous… The lady we talked to didn’t mention to us it was going to be $ 25 to upgrade (the ONLY difference is the massage), and we thought we just needed to pay for the additional accessories.
So basically we paid extra $ 25/​each for the 5 minute massage (or got the coupon for a $ 40 ordinary mani), that’s not a discount at all!
At the time we felt that we didn’t wanna argue and ruin the experience (we also left a really good tip), but it really sucks because everything else was pretty good. But because of the the bad communication with customers and over charging, we will NOT be going back…

it was ok. i was a little disappointed and surprised that they don’t use any lotion or give a quick massage with the pedicure or manicure so it was really more like a polish change. just a quick cleanup seeing that my nails where already short and filed.
my nail tech also did not offer any magazines or water and kept answering phone calls on her cell and work phone. all and all she seemed very distracted. and i wasn’t completely satisfied with the results. i guess i’m just used to a higher quality of service and they just were not up to par

Raynette is the best!!! The shop is very clean and very industrial /​contemporary looking. I love that Raynette suggested I do schlack for my nails, instead of a manicure, because of my lifestyle they last so much longer. I love it!!! 5 stars for Raynette!!!

This salon is very clean, super friendly and has very creative nail technicians. I love how they cater to the younger (read: children) crowd as well and have lots of mini-​chairs for young girls so their feet can soak in the same pedi sink as the adults.
I bring my daughter here for her mani/​pedi treats and typically get a manicure while I wait. I end up spending around $ 35 for everything so I think it’s such an awesome deal! It’s a nice treat to be able to not have to pay close to $ 100 for a mani/​pedi and definitely something that I’ll continue doing for my 9-​year old when she gets to have a special treat. They also do private parties so I think for my daughter’s next birthday party, I may just reserve the salon to hold her party here and let the girls get mani/​pedis. How fun!
The last time I went here, I brought my daughter here since she wanted to look all pretty for the Justin Bieber concert and Ray ended up painting JUSTIN on her nails. She fed into my daughter’s craziness! But I have to admit, it was very creative and cute!
There’s lots of parking in the back and can accommodate a bunch of people but be sure to call ahead for an appointment to guarantee your time. Enjoy!

I been here twice and I might say I like it!!! Friendly staff and I will go again soon.

So got a pedi for $ 60. I don’t know how I paid that much, but some how I said I wanted the upgraded pedi and I think I added something that comes standard at other not as cute places like Rainbow Nails and Princess Nails. I think it was a scrub? Anyway, the owner did my toes and she was very nice, but she scolded me a little for being a walk-​in. She said it’s much better and more appropriate to call ahead and make an appointment. Because I prefer being able to walk into a mani-​pedi place without an appointment, I probably won’t return here.
I wanted to LOVE the experience, but I thought it was just okay. I think I should have paid more attention and realized what type of pedi I was getting because I think I really over paid considering I could get a better pedi with more add-​ons at any other typical nail salon.
I encourage you to call ahead for an appointment and set aside a lot of time.

Friendly service, good prices, central location and the place looks clean. We weren’t offered wine (or any other beverages) so that was a bit of a disappointment.
Mani/​pedi took about an hour. Recommended!

staff: I called and they said to come in anytime, when I arrived, there was a lady standing outside who followed me in and the manager took care of me. the lady at the door I caught staring at me randomly a few times, but mostly she watched tv, along with another girl doing her own nails who disappeared.
The only difference between the $ 22 pedi and the $ 30-​something one was the leg massage. I opted for the cheaper.
there were mainly China Glaze polish and some brand I never heard of, then there was a collection of random polish, one full size OPI (which I got) and a bunch of those mini ones.
The chairs are CUTE and comfy, the foot bath is actually a nice sink which is really hygenic, with a extendable spout thing (like in your kitchen) which was handy!
The lady who did my toes was SUPER nice, she paid good attention to my nails, She said she helped me «avoid» an ingrown nail, one that was impending I guess.
The polish job is pretty good, and she put something on it so it dried immediately. (I’ll update when I see how long the polish lasts)
She answered her phone twice, personal calls, I’m guessing from her kids, but she didn’t stop painting.
It was a different experience then say Aveda, but it was comfy like your aunty just happened to own a nail salon. I got two coupons for free designs with a pedicure, so if I’m looking for a quick comfy paint job, I’ll go back to the garage… but I’ve got my eye on nearby Salon Glitter next…

Took my husband here based on Unilocal and was very happy. Place is clean and modern, nail techs were skilled. I really couldn’t ask for more. Husband liked it because it was not too girly. As a bonus, since it was Tuesday we got a 10% discount!

a friend told me her her hubby’s cousin opened a nail salon and we should go try it… i was down, i was very into the name. nail garage.
you walk in and it looks exactly like what its named a nail garage…
very cute and clean… loved the staff. my pedi was awesome great massage. yes its true, they don’t have opi nail polish but the polish they use is great. also, the parking is in the back, its free!
they have a cute room in the back for clients who have kids, a playroom. my friend had her toddler playing in there with all the toys. its a very kid friendly salon.
i was very interested in having a private party here and they do close the store for private parties at a decent price… thats my next project, have a girls night out getting pedis and manis!
gonna try it out again…

I love this place. Clean and the girls are friendly. Took my niece in for a special treat and it was great. The girls are skilled and take their time and their prices are fair for the Honolulu. I’ll be returning. Also their décor is very cute w/​a garage type theme hence the name. They’ve only been open for 4 months so they could use you business!!!

Maybe my rating for this place is so high because 1) the owner of this little salon was super nice 2) the manicurist was super talented and 3) this is a small business struggling to survive but they have some interesting business ideas in hopes of building a new niche in the beauty industry. I don’t know if my rating is honest because I am distracted by the friendliness of the owner and my bleeding heart for new small businesses, but the manicurist’s talent and nice ambiance was also there.
I called Nail Garage after seeing their interesting, yet rather discreet, blue sign on King Street (close to the Paris Luxury bag store on Keeaumoku). They were advertised on Craigslist, and there were weekly specials/​discounts and offers to host parties with a host of different services. I went on their student Friday, I called an hour and a half before with no problems.
The manicure was $ 15, the mani/​pedi combo is $ 35. The only nail polish brand they had was China Glaze. I know they offer a bunch of specials, the student special was 10% off of all services.
Nail Garage is not a typical «Asian» salon, the owner installed sinks instead of those foot tub thingies that other salons have. Everything was very clean, and they have wine bar/​soda/​water/​tea/​coffee options.
The manicurist was quiet but very professional and she took her time. Well, maybe she took her time because there was no one else there except me, the owner, and herself, but I don’t care. She was a great masseuse and massaged each arm for 5 minutes each! She just took her time, and I’m one of those people that like when I get my money’s worth instead of trying to rush through a service. My nails came out great, and she listened to what I wanted unlike other manicurists that I’ve had before.
Here’s the kicker: the place is not going to survive if no one goes to support this small business. The owner spoke to me during and after the manicure, and she is a passionate and hard working business owner. She took a lot of care to set up her store, understands nails, and had so many good ideas for her business. So… if you’re looking for a new place to try out, why not try out Nail Garage? If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go back and you can Unilocal about how much you disagree with me. If you don’t go, you’ll always wonder if my review is accurate. Plus, speaking in Unilocal terms, you could do fellow Unilocalers a favor by reviewing Nail Garage and adding one more review on your path towards Unilocal Elite ’11!