This is officially my favorite nail salon in Santa Monica. I have been here several times and was waiting to write a review if I could say they are consistent. They are. It is on flourishing and fun Montana Ave. A great stroll for boutiques and so many good restaurants. And Cha Spa! They do massages as well ... not as an after thought as most nail places do where they may do an extended leg or neck rub while your nails are drying. No, this is a serious massage place with a separate large room, curtained private spaces, spa music and good deep rubs. I had Bill. My friend loved Anna. And they have an outdoor area for nails and massages, as well during Covid, it seems. On a lazy Sunday I took full advantage with a friend to do both. Tip: do the massage 1st, so your fresh polish or gel is not ruined It's as clean & beautiful & serene as it looks on the pictures. I'm usually super picky about the hygiene of a spa and this place definitely meets the bar and goes above & beyond to ensure a nice ambiance. The decor is gold and white. Like the other locations but I like the hood! Technicians are great. I have tried a few and I adore Rose - high skills, the products they use are very high quality a wide selection of colors including the latest holiday specials, and they also carry my favorite Gel X polishes!!! Rose did my pedi and leg scrub -- what a goddess! Theresa did my manicure. She is so sweet and patient. A hot towel treatment is included in the manicure, as well as a gentle massage as you're waiting for the nails to dry -- taking that into account, the price is reasonable. Receptionist was nice & friendly. BTW, they have there own parking lot, but on weekends, it gets jammed. On 12th there is street parking. I thing 2 hours. Meters on Montana. Honestly, I hesitated to write this review because then everyone will find out about them and I won't be able to book an appointment as easily. LOL ... but this place is worth a shoutout. Photo of Summer Nail Studio - New York, NY, United States read more

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My first time there, my son treated us to a foot massage. The woman used her free hand to stroke, not massage, my feet while on her phone with the other hand. Awful! Got a gift card, so returned and tried full body massage. Big man-kept putting all his weight on my little back, elbows directly on my spine. I couldn't breathe. The whole massage was so painful. I don't know why I let it continue. I guess I was trying to be tough. I should've tapped out. For the remaining credit, I went back for nails. I showed her the gift card. She looked at it and she said I could pay the difference. Okay. The actual service went okay except for the minimal effort, and no results, on callous removal-an up-charge service. But then.... I hand her the gift card to pay and she hands it back to me and says sorry, that's only for massage. Says right on the card Massage, Nails etc. And I presented it prior to service. Unbelievable. Charges me full price and asks me to Venmo her directly. Hmm. I am not going back. read more

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Cha Spa was frustrating enough that I feel others deserve a fair warning. It started before I even walked in. The phone number listed online wasn't working -- it doesn't even accept voicemail. When I finally found a number that connected, I was directed to a different location than expected. The person who took my call, "Diane," promised she would handle my appointment. She never showed up. When I arrived for my scheduled pedicure and foot massage, the only staff member present responded to my mention of an appointment by yelling at me to "call her!" -- visibly annoyed. Shortly after, she yelled again asking "inside or outside?!" with no explanation. As a first-time visitor, I had no idea what she meant, and no one offered to clarify. The disorganization didn't stop there. When I asked basic questions, staff couldn't answer them. At one point, employees were arguing with each other in front of me -- that is simply not normal or acceptable in a customer-facing business. Things got more uncomfortable at checkout. I presented my gift certificate, and the staff member called her manager and began yelling in Chinese over the phone. When I expressed discomfort, I was dismissively told "that's just how we speak." That is not a response a paying customer should ever receive. The one bright spot was Suzy, who performed my pedicure with genuine care and professionalism. She is the sole reason this isn't a zero-star review. A note to the owner: Please fix your contact information -- one of your listed phone numbers doesn't work or accept voicemail, and it creates a poor first impression before a customer even walks through the door. More importantly, please invest in training your staff to treat customers with basic respect and warmth. Yelling and arguing are not acceptable in front of guests. If internal conversations need to happen, take them to the back -- out of earshot. If owning a business in the U.S. has been your dream, please don't let customers become casualties of that journey. We should leave feeling relaxed and valued, not stressed and unwelcome. With some changes, this place has real potential -- but right now, the experience does not match that promise. read more

I had a years old gift certificate so figured to try a 90 min massage (+ foot massage). I had read very mixed reviews so felt like I had to post something. 1) Parking in back is a positive. 2) I made an appointment online, but when walked in and said I had an appointment, two men looked at each other confused but then showed me two names on a pad of paper, one of which was mine. Otherwise, there was only 1 other customer in the back massage room. Making an appointment was easy and many time slots open. 3) Massage room is one big room with hospital curtains; also, no 'massage' music, just a water sound. And, since you're in one room, you can hear other customers. aka, a man snoring next to you. 4) They don't really give you much direction, as they don't speak english fluently, so I didn't undress. I did unbutton my top and it worked out fine. It's pretty basic in terms of facility. Did soak my feet for a little while I got a scalp massage. 5) Started about 10 min late but ended on time, of course. Also, the masseuse would leave for a few minutes here and there, and answered a phone call, which was strange. 6) The body massage was more like a thai massage; it did the job but not like what one would expect for a 'real' massage. Overall, I'd come back for the foot massage but maybe not a full body massage, and def. not 90 min. You can get a better body massage if you have kinks to get out elsewhere, but I did think the focus on the foot reflexology was nice and something you can't find anywhere else. read more

Don't book on ClassPass. I showed up on time for a pedicure appointment (I booked a few days in advance) and they said they couldn't take me - but didn't cancel the appt on ClassPass and refused to refund me. They offered to reschedule for another day as my only option. Thankfully I worked with ClassPass and got a refund through them, but this is not a great way to run a business. If you can't provide the service, you need to cancel the appt on ClassPass so you aren't taking money from customers. read more

This place used to be 'ok' but now it's become a joke. The beds are sooo uncomfortable, and the therapists just aren't masseuses. I booked today and asked for a female therapist. When I got there I was told that it would actually need to be a male because there weren't any females on today. Anyway, the massage was so bad I left half way through. it was the worst 'massage' I've ever had in my life. all elbow in my spine, with no oil. just up and down my spine with his elbow. Never going back. don't waste your time and money! read more

Wow! I'm so beyond impressed, I had a 90 min full body massage and I'm leaving feeling so great and relaxed that I ran to leave a review. Peter was so great I'm 100% coming back, 10/10 recommend! read more

Cha Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Charles spot is the worst massage place I've ever been to. They were very rough and terrible. Their stuff is all very rude. None of them speak English so huge language barrier they forced me and my friends to pay a certain percentage of tip against our Will and took our cash. They video taped us when we confronted them. long wait overall worst massage place I've ever been. will never come back. 0/10 read more

Terribly run business. Appointments are not kept and changed last minute. Also major fights break out here between management and employees.

VERY unprofessional! The place is noisy and not relaxing at all, the massage was bad, and the rude man who gave my horrible massage tried to guilt me into giving a bigger tip--he's lucky he got any tip! Do NOT waste your time here. There are so many one star reviews, I'm starting to think the 5 star reviews are fake or paid. read more

Today will be my last time visiting here for a mani pedi. No wonder it's always empty when I come. They no longer put cream on your hands or feet. They said the free hand and foot massage portion is now incremental. They not longer scrub your feet either which was always part of the calluses remover. I called the owner and she said it's technician specific but every single tech I've see for the past 4 years has put cream on my hands and feet. I will continue to come to see Sophia for massage because she's the greatest but definitely finding a new nail salon. read more

My 90 minute massage with Julie was incredible - I usually have to ask for more pressure, but she went right in on my problem spots with a vengeance! I've been coming to Melissa for my nails for years - followed her to Montana from the Wilshire location. Great spot! read more

Cha Spa - Manicure with Cha Spa pillow - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Never again!!!!! This is the worst pedicure I've ever had. I swear I could do it much better myself than this "nail specialist". I'm just shocked. The manners of the manager at the front desk were awful too. Don't waste you money and time. I can't believe. That's just embarrassing!!!!!!!! read more

Cha Spa - Pedicure - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I left with a pain in my big toe with in 24 hours of my visit. The technician cut my nail in such a way that it was ingrown. I also had strange swelling from my toes as well. I am concerned there may be fungus now or athletes foot. I will not return. Very disappointing. read more

I don't write reviews but I had to after coming here for many years it really has gone down hill and I don't know what the heck is going on here. I called to make 3 appointments the lady put me on hold then hung up on me I called back another 2 times and she did the same thing put me on hold then hang up. We get there earlier for our appointments the lady seems so confused that I made the reservations. We had the 60 minute foot/body massage which is $75 which is crazy expensive. During the massage the lady put away the hot water bucket and took 5 minutes which took away from my 60 minute massage. When we were done with the massage I wanted to give $10 tip but the lady kept telling me I had to give $15 tip which is ridiculous YOU NEVER TELL SOMEONE HOW MUCH TO TIP! I felt so uncomfortable and never wanted to come back here. read more

I went to Cha Spa on Montana and had a massage. It was really strange to be in a large open room with 10 other people. No private rooms. A few weeks later, I made an appointment for a manicure. When I arrived, I was told that I would have to come back in 2 hours and they did not care that I had made an appointment. There are so many good massage and nail places in LA. Cha Spa on Montana is not one of them. read more

The massages are great, do not come here for nails. I've had two manicures here. Both were awful. Very rough, unpleasant experience. The shape was really awful and she did not ask how I wanted my nails shaped. Ended up with a dramatic almond. Cuticles were left raw with so much filing on the side of my nails. The last time I came here all I wanted was a gel removal. She removed so many layers of my nail I was left with paper thin nails. I was in pain for weeks. I will never come back here. read more

Best GEL-X place and it's open till 10pm in case anyone works late! i got my nails done by Tina and she's done amazing jobs! They also offer massages at amazing rates read more

Cha Spa - gel-x by tina - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Massage was fine. I gave them $105 gift card to pay for a $75 massage and didnt ask for a balance back and the guy still had the audacity to complain and get angry over the tip amount that i left on top of that. Never going back read more

Terrible and so unprofessional! I had an appointment and no one was there. I waited 30 mins to get a shitty massage and mani/pedi. They rushed through everything. Not a relaxing experience at all. On top of it they tried to pressure me to tip more (even though I tipped just fine and should have tipped nothing for the experience). Artistic Nails across the street is way better. read more

I went in for a removal of gel polish. I left with extremely raw, red and brittle nails. I have had gels removed before at a different salon and in the past the removal left my nails cleanly buffed- not red and painful. My nails are now breaking as I use my hands. At the end of my service she charged me $20 and stood over me to remind me to tip. I will never return as she was careless with my nails and overcharged me for a terrible service 0/10 experience read more

Cha Spa - My nails after my gels were removed and she buffed my nails down - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I really like this spot. Open late and accommodated a mani pedi last minute on a Sunday. Love the flexibility and all the services they provide. Melissa was wonderful-- got the job done and wasn't pushy. Very relaxing environment. Recommend! Will be coming back to try a massage!! read more

I went to Cha Spa for their scalp treatment. I have pretty severe scalp dermatitis and have been looking for a place that can help me manage it by removing the build up. The person that assisted me did a great job with the removal, however, it was very clear that she had no experience with textured hair. She made multiple comments about how hard it was to comb through and mentioned that she thought she wanted thicker hair but not anymore after seeing how hard it was to comb. She was very friendly so I don't think she meant harm but her comments made me feel very self conscious and like it was a headache for her to deal with it, instead of it being a service I was paying for and I thought it was very unprofessional. It's also a shame because I was prepared to come in weekly for the service and spend a lot with them on a monthly basis. Def do not recommend coming here if you are a person of color with a thicker, more coarse hair texture. read more

Worst manicure and pedicure ever, took a long time, super sloppy job and very expensive. I got it done yesterday and it already looks like complete crap. $122 for something I could have done myself. read more

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This is for their massage. There is free parking the back of the salon and a nail salon in the front. I had booked a 90 minutes massage through ClassPass. I had gotten a massage a week prior and it was still very relaxing even though it was a shared space with curtains. I went one more time after that and will not be returning. The last time, the massage was good, afterterwards was akward and unacceptable. I had a 90 min massage and after gave the massesuse a $20 tip for 90 minutes. I speak Mandarin and could hear her complaining to her coworker th at the privous week I had given her coworker $30 tip for 90 min. She didn't even say thank you and proceeded to give me a stank eye when I was about to leave. Rude and completely ruined the relaxing feeling I had had. Management really needs to get the masseuses shitty attitude regarding tip under control. Either pay them legal minimum wages or fire those that have a bad attitude when they receive a tip they don't like. Would not be returning after this expience. read more

I come here every month sometimes twice. I only ever see Sophia. I tried a male masseuse there last time and I did not enjoy it. But Sophia is just wow. I have had massages all over the world and I can confidently say this is the best I have ever had. I often get the 90min combo: 30min foot reflexology (which hurts but feels amazing especially after) and 1h full body massage. She is not for the weak though as it is a deep tissues massage and she is strong! She undoes every knot and leaves me feel reborn. Highly recommend. Although I do wish the store put a bit more towards renovations of the massage area. Also, it is kind of odd that the therapist always walk to the front and check how much you tip which I notice happens every time. All in all highly recommend because Sophia really is the best. read more

This place is generally okay but it can be hit or miss depending on who you get. But what I don't like is the feeling imposed when after massages, they hover around you waiting for the tip. And if you don't give enough (ie. massage was not the best and very rough), they rudely ask for more tip and mention it should be 20%. This is not a demand nor expectation. Please treat your clients better. I've never been told after less than stellar service that I have to give more tip. And the room was so nosy and not relaxing at all. read more

I've truly given this place a chance -- many chances. I wanted to support my neighborhood nail spa. The people are nice but there was a lot of inconsistency in the quality of work. There were 2 technicians who were consistently pretty good. I had such poor results with the other techs, that I would only go on days the good techs were there. I recently tried the Montana Ave location (Wilshire location had closed). I couldn't believe how bad my nails were coming out. The technician truthfully may have been struggling to see without proper corrective vision, because she painted right over my cuticles. She did not file my nails evenly (fingers or toes). She only painted one side of two different toes. I had to have another tech come over to make corrections because it was so bad. That tech looked at my nails, shook her head and proceeded to remove all polish and start again. She did better, but not much. I paid for additional foot massage and sugar scrub. The massage was weak and the scrub was slathered on for a minute and washed off -- no actual scrub. It was very disheartening to pay the $145 bill (including tip). I'm officially done. NEVER, EVER GOING BACK. read more

Worst pedicure ever. They didn't take off all my nail polish so you can see residue of my previous nail polish of a darker pink in many different spots and they also didn't fully paint different parts of my toes. Rushed and not worth it read more

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No base coat. No top coat. And two layers of polish, one of which didn't cover my entire nail. She painted polish (intentionally?) on to my skin and then cleaned it up with her finger nail, which was quite discolored and appeared to have a fungal infection. Tech was in a huge rush and didn't do an adequate job and has me fearing an infection. Yikes. read more

Cha Spa - Foot baths and benches for pedicures - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Poor service. Don't come here if you don't feel comfortable when the nail ladies talk about you in their language. I know it happens in almost every nail salon, but that doesn't mean it's ok. Not in my opinion. Too bad for them, I speak their language and I know what they said about me and about other customers that were in the salon at that time. Such a shame. This is really disrespectful. Came here today, 07/19, to get a regular manicure- just cut, file and apply nail polish. Sounds pretty simple, right? Think again. I asked the lady who did my nails to cut my nails short and to do a round shape. She kept asking me if I want long nails and a square shape. I had to repeat myself a few times before another lady there got involved and asked me (again) what I want to do. After she was done, she told me that the nails were dry so I came over to pay, then I realized that two of my nails were chipping off. She had to fix it, and she wasn't too happy about it. She kept talking about me and with her friends. I rather not say what she said. Also, she kept pouring acetone nail polish remover on my hands. When I asked her why, she didn't reply. My nails look uneven, I'm not happy with the result. Mediocre job. Avoid at any cost. Take your business somewhere else. read more

Yan did an amazing job with my eyelashes! She listened to the little details I requested, was very kind, organized, and cleanly. Highly recommend! Can't wait to see her for my lash fill. :)) read more

Cha Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

1. The people that work here are rude and have a bad attitude 2. Their manicures are terrible and overpriced. 3. Fraudulent business. read more

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Wow! I've checked out a few spas and nail salons in Santa Monica in search of the best massage and have found it at Cha Spa! First, I appreciate the safety precautions with not only keeping their doors open to allow fresh air, but I love that they give the option to have massages outside. With room dividers and curtains, there are two massage tables behind the building. On a nice day, I think I actually prefer being outdoors now! Sometimes for full body massages, I feel like it's easy for the massage therapist to miss spending time on specific areas, but I was so happy to get a pretty solid focus on upper body, lower body, and arms. I've been there twice now and had great experiences both times. I recommend making an appointment and showing up 5-10 minutes early. Check-in is a breeze and enjoy a day of relaxation! read more

I have been going here for awhile but sat few times I've left tip at front desk but desk hasn't told therapist. Therapist has come out to my car and knocked on my window asking where there tip is. Totally inappropriate and rude. Frankly, a tip is not mandatory, and should never be asked for. read more

Very unpleasant and uncomfortable massage. Mostly a massage with a towel and lackluster - won't return.

Update Yelpies! So as you've probably read. I'm a fair helper! I'm honest to the community, and I'm open & fair to business owners. Though my experience over the years with CHA Spa has been inconsistent with the artists... the Spa itself (workers, receptionists and Owner) have always been understanding and approachable. The Owners are nice, but most importantly they're professional! When a mistake is made, they fix it. You always feel welcome. So if you don't like something, speak up, they will accommodate you. Even if you feel funny with complaining. And that's what makes them a-go-to! My last visit was def still a bummer, but they made up for the birthday woe on my latest visit! And they gave me legit Bday Treatment! a wonderful actual DELUXE Manicure (not faux luxe manicure)! And perks for next time. And I really was only expecting a re-polish. They exceeded my expectations, and that's good business and that makes me feel better about being a customer. Nora is meticulous, detailed and a great convo! Ask for her! Weiwei will accommodate you, don't be shy, if something is not to your liking... she's a doll. To reiterate: PLUSES: Kind staff, great decor, comfortable, great spa-like music, variety of colors! MINUSES: Since the times have changed, you may get someone new to the shop, so don't be shy as Weiwei for what you need and are accustomed to before sitting down lol! Now that I go through the times that service was just ok, it was a newbie. So ask for a vet! read more

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I went to Cha Spa a couple of times and had a good experience. Upon the recommendation of a friend, I asked for Maria. Maria was very thorough and strong - she had the right amount of pressure (I need a lot of pressure because my muscles are always so tense) and she definitely left me feeling a (good!) sore. The place itself looks clean and *I assume* they sanitize between customers. But, my immunocompromised friend had been going there during the pandemic and was doing just fine, so I figured it was probably OK. The prices are really reasonable for the service too. I would recommend the outdoor service (for people who aren't prone to bug bites) but maybe not in the evening because it gets a little chilly. Only comment is that I would have preferred to be able to leave my mask on during the part of the service where I'm facing up just in case. Otherwise, overall, I'd recommend and would return! read more

Sexually molested !!!! I went for a massage by a male massage therapist. He touched in inappropriately three times. He grabbed my genital area, and I pushed him away, and he did it three more times. He didn't seem to speak English. I don't know if he thought I wanted to be touched that way. I was distraught, and for a few weeks, I couldn't get it out of my mind. I felt molested. I contacted the owner, and she said he had worked there for many years and no one else had ever complained. I can't imagine that could be the case. I told her I wanted to come in to talk to him about what a terrible thing he had done to me. If you are a woman, do NOT go there for a massage. read more

WORST MANICURE OF MY LIFE!!! This place is a scam. I ordered a classic mani-pedi. Instead of giving me that they started adding on extra service and charging me for it. When it was time to pay they told me it was $60 instead of the avetised $48. This is for just paint on real fingernails. They then informed me that they wouldn't take credit cards and that they are CASH ONLY?!? I explained that I booked the appointment online with a credit card. They eventually accepted the card, but got pissy afterwards and half assedly did the manicure after insisted on a $10 tip for themselves, of course. They have NO NAIL DRYERS and sent me out less then 10 minutes after they finished. As I walked out a bum approached me in the entrance. They pretended not to see him as he tried to get money off of me. The nails budged before I could get home. I finally gave up, went to CVS,, bought the bottle of polish and am now doing my own nails less than 1 hour after leaving this DUMP. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND DON"T EVER COME HERE! read more

Cha Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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