Elegante Nails

The worst service I have ever experienced. Really RUDE!!! They did a poor job on a design and over charged for it. On top of that she demanded a tip!!, and she refused a $ 5 tip and basically yelled for a $ 10 with an attitude!!! NEVER GO HERE, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRAISED THEM, SHAME ON YOU!!! THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE! I would never even write a review if it wasn’t that bad.

The worst experience so far. My manicurist cut me and my finger bled for 15 minutes. Staff is rude and inexperienced. They switch my nail technician for another and She would leave me waiting to go and attend another customer. The worst service I’ve gotten. Wished I would have read the reviews before stepping in to this place.

This place is an absolute dump. And the girls are very rude. My manicurist left me for 15 mins to tend to an eyebrow wax because they were short staffed. After my manicure was done and I was drying, I noticed a large cockroach in the corner. 9 dollars for a manicure — you pay for what you get.

This is one of the few nail salons that I’ll go to (helps that it is conveniently located 5 minutes from my apartment). They have a large selection of colors, most of them OPI or essie. I personally prefer OPI — they have a wide selection of OPI to choose from.
They are also very quick and accommodating. The last time I was walking by, I needed a mani-​pedi bad. But I was already running late for something and almost forewent my badly-​needed mani-​pedi! Fortunately, they were able to do both my mani and pedi at the same time. I was in and out within 30 minutes. And my nails still look just as good. They have always shaped my nails just like I like them, and their manis usually last about 2 weeks, so for about $ 30, I can get a great mani pedi that will last a while. I am so sick of trying new places with cheaper deals where the polish only stays on for a few days.

This place was speedy, well priced and did a very nice job on my mani-​pedi. I wish I had the extra time for the $ 10 10 minute chair massage they offer too!

I’ve been here on more than a handful of lunch «hours». I’ve had a couple of bad experiences, but overall I’m a happy customer. Can I get a cheaper mani/​pedi/​eyebrow wax in Queens? Heck yeah, I can! But, time is limited and I’m not working in Queens and after exploring ALL the options lower Manhattan had to offer within walking distance of 26 Federal Plaza, THIS salon was the best fit.
Here’s the deal. You’re in a crowded area with many other women who are limited on time and trying to squeeze in some nail care between meetings and deadlines. If you come in between 12 — 2pm, expect a little bit of a wait. On Thursdays and Fridays, I do notice a couple extra nail techs working, but there are generally 3 or 4 on standby M-​W, and they do add more during the summer months when everyone is trying to look cute in their sexy sandals. I’ve never been there on the weekends, so I don’t know what the wait is like during those days.
The women I’ve had for the brow waxes have been awesome. They even go the extra mile and tweeze the strays & cut down any long, uneven areas. They ask before taking off more than you want, which is great since I’ve had the unpleasant experience of another salon turning my wispy brows into thin lines of nothing. This isn’t the place I’d get a Brazilian, though. (Shobha is the only place I go for that.) They double-​dip into the wax & there are no pink gloves in sight. It’s a nail salon, for pete’s sake, not a spa.
I don’t do tips or wraps; just a plain mani or pedi. The few times I’ve asked for a design, it was just okay. Then again, I wasn’t very specific about what I wanted. I guess I’m a little spoiled with all the nail art I’ve gotten in Queens. But, for the most part, my polish stays on forever and it’s always neat.
The chair massages are well worth the $ 10 for 10 min price. When I can stay out a little longer than my *ahem* hour-​long lunch, I almost always get one.
Do they speak amongst themselves in their native tongue and laugh about rude customers? Yeah, they do, and I almost always laugh with them even if I have no clue what they just said. That knowing look on everyone’s face while someone is in a tizzy is universal enough to understand that they’re saying, «This bitch is nuts!»
Tips. These are WORKING people. The price you pay for your $ 9 mani is most likely paying for the rent, utilities, polish, etc. The nail techs live on tips. If you tip them a $ 1 on the $ 9 mani they just spent 15 – 20 minutes giving you, of course you’re gonna get a nasty glare. I’d give you one, too, while I was getting my nails done right next to you. I almost always tip an extra dollar or two and it goes a LONG way. Extra awesome hand massages and VIP dryer after care– oil on your nails, and checking to make sure you’re dry before heading out into the street.
Be friendly. Don’t have a LOUD conversation HOLDING your phone while they are trying to paint your NAILS. I’ve seen it, ladies! Use a little common sense. Smile Say please and thank you, and it lays down a nice foundation for a mutually friendly, respectful relationship between you– the customer and them– the nail techs.
Yes, you can get cheaper prices in the outer boroughs and some dingy salons along Fulton St. Yes, you can get white-​glove stellar customer service at a pricier spa in SoHo. However, for the location, the volume of people in the area, and the service I get– this is the place for me if I need a weekday mani/​pedi ASAP.

I recently had a Waxing service done at this so called «elegant nail shop»… Not only did the woman double dip in the wax she also didnt sanitize, wear gloves, nor look happy to provide service. As a person who was well educated on Brazilian services this place doesnt even deserve a star… I would never get anything done here after that experience. She also demanded a larger amount for her tip… Then proceeded in her language to talk about me… A tip is not a right… I dont appreciate her looking at me like my private area was digusting her… I would not suggest this place even if it was the only option… RUDE AND NASTY = BAD REPUTATION

Found the home of the $ 9 no bullshit manicure with a hot towel and solid hand massage on a drizzly Saturday (place was nearly empty).
The color wall featured a tame range of boring pinks, reds, and mauves along with a small set of garishly transgressive colors as if to compensate for the predictability of the other shades. Luckily, I found one lavender shade apropos to Easter weekend.
The ladies spoke to one another in Mandarin for the whole time, and clearly discussed customer behavior, like when one whack woman asked for and described a «reddish gel» as an alternative to normal pink in her French manicure… then got up and walked away with her tips done but no base since they didn’t have the «reddish gel.»
The ladies most likely cursed me out, too. I heard the words «hanguo ren» (meaning Korean person, as if to explain why I didn’t give a dinnertime tip) when I served up a neat ten dollar bill since tip is cash only and I was caught off guard with only this amount in my meager billfold. Whatever. I know I’ll make up for it when I head back.
Then, I was even more of a pain in the ass. I headed towards the bathroom. «Watch your color,» they chided. I managed to nick my right thumb for some whole other reason as I was about to leave. Went back like a kicked dog, and she fixed it with knowing annoyance but not too much attitude.
Almost a full week later, nails still look great and there was only slight bubblage in the surface. See you again, Elegante. It’s not a threat, it’s a fact.

Clean Unrushed Reasonable Mani Pedi
I’ve been to this place a handful of times and can say I always leave content but not impressed. For the neighborhood this place is pretty good; the interior is nice, the people working here are pretty nice, but the quality of the lotion, foot soak etc is not up to par. They could spend a little extra and use something a little nicer. Reasonable prices, but still could use room for improvement. Most nail places give a complimentary shoulder massage after your mani pedi, this one is hit or miss when it comes to that.
Date Rating: 3
Pick up Scale: N/​A
Strong Suggestion: It’s clean and safe if you’re looking for something nearby and you can probably just drop in so don’t worry if you’re thinking about giving it a try.

This is my favorite place in the neighborhood. It’s generally pretty quiet, and has a calm atmosphere. The prices are reasonable, too. The only time I haven’t been able to get in right away is in that really busy right after work time.

As far as first impressions go, this place is very clean and well organized. Getting a pedicure and manicure is supposed to be easy and smooth, but you can’t help to feel a bit uncomfortable in this place.
The women who work there talk about you with whoever is next to them and make no effort to hide it even with the language barrier.
I went there once for a manicure and pedicure (once was enough) and they offered a 10% discount on that same day, not only was I NOT given the discount but I was looked down upon when I paid $ 5 of the fee in singles. I paid the FULL price and before I even had a chance to breathe and count out her tip she yelled (yes. Yelled) and pointed at the paper on the wall that said that tips had to be in cash… When she did that I felt a bit offended and then a $ 10 tip didn’t seem good enough for her. Then to top off an upsetting experience, when I was sat at the dryer she dropped (yes-​dropped not set) my bag and shoes with a heavy thump and when I thanked her– she responds-«eh yea»
AVOID! AVOID! At all costs. If your not paying in big bills and give a huge tip, its like going where your not wanted.

The chairs were comfortable and that’s probably the only positive thing I have to say about this place. On the day I went the place was not crowded. The work done could have been a lot better. The technician doing my nails didn’t look like she was into it at all. She was talking about me with the technician next to me like I could not understand what was being said. Very rude and inappropriate to be talking about your clients with them in front of you. One of my nails ended up blistering badly under the drier and she popped the bubble and said it was ok. She would not redo the nail. I was told it happen sometimes. Not acceptable at all!
I had to tip before the polish went on my fingernails, that was a sign to me that the quality of work I wanted depended on my tip and not me tipping on the quality of work done. Apparently a $ 10 tip is not enough for a job worth $ 27 total. They looked at me like who do I think I am and how dare I tip so low. I know it’s Tribeca, but come on, really? What were you expecting from me? $ 20 for your very bad manicure that chipped the next day on a $ 27 job?
This place left me with a lot to be desired.
AVOID this place! Unless you like rude technicians and rushed manicures that don’t last a day.

This place is convenient and relatively clean. That’s not bad for a nail salon; and they do have a 10% off M-​W discount.
I’ve had a few decent pedicures and a manicure — I can’t really say they do the best job because the polish doesn’t really last that long or done that well.
I do take the Russian Roulette route by letting manicurists cut rather than just push my cuticles back, and at the last manicure I went to with them, I was sure my luck would come to a close with my lucky streak. The manicurist went at my cuticles like they had done her wrong. I wasn’t really watching her but an hour or so later my fingers were a bit achy. I looked and there were tiny cuts in the corners. I rubbed Neosporin into my cuticles for a day or two and saved myself from an infection, but I’m not going there again for a manicure.
After all that, I saw that she hadn’t even done a good job on the cuticle– bits of it were still on the nail and polished over, without a good clean line.
Also, while there another woman asked that her implements be exchanged because she saw the set they were about to use on her had not been autoclaved.

I agree with the above reviewer — it’s a very nice, decent nail salon in the neighborhood! There is another nail salon a block away, but I don’t recommend going there (see my reviews page)
The décor and atmosphere are fresh and inviting. The focal point is the ceiling, which resembles a pleasant, blue sky with white clouds. The pedicure chairs are really nice here, too.
The ladies are always pleasant. When doing manicure, they ask whether I want to have my cuticles cut, which is considerate of them.
One of them, Sue, does great chair massage.
The price is decent for such a salon.