I had such a great experience at this location, and I really appreciated that they were able to fit me in last minute on a Sunday afternoon--huge bonus! My nail tech was super friendly and did an amazing job on a custom French manicure. I asked for a thicker style, and we originally planned for a clear top coat. But she accidentally used one with subtle glitter specks--and honestly, it turned out even better than I expected. It gave the look a fun, unexpected sparkle that I ended up loving! One of the thoughtful touches I really liked was that they give you your manicure kit to take home (if you are a first timer), which you can bring back for $3 off your next visit. Compared to other salons in town that offer Russian manicures, the prices here are very reasonable. The salon itself has a super cute vibe--kind of like a "cotton candy chic" aesthetic with a light, airy feel. And if you're into pop, dance, and hip hop Top 40 hits, the music is on point and keeps the energy up the whole time. read more

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Love my nails! They are so cute!! Gabby is super friendly and really listens. I am very happy. read more

Can we say colorful cuteness everywhere. The vibe is whimsical meets playful and cutesy. Was unable to book a manicure & pedicure appointment so had a Full Monty waxing service instead. The receptionist was lovely with curly locs and a fluffy, floppy dog-eared hat adorning her head. Sam the esthetician came out to great meet and was courteous and easy to engage in conversation. It is clear she is a seasoned professional. She advised me about this wax used from Italy called Italia which was mildly fragrant and worked like a charm removing hair without it feeling one's skin is also separating from the body. Sam gets an Aa++. The only recommendations are more aesthetic spruceness. Place isn't dirty by any means yet a deep cleaning and touch up painting would make it zing. Investment in newer towels that present with a mid-level of fanciful cosmopolitan. This still can be colorful and tye-tied yet presentation is everything. It's the small nuances that can change the schematic. I would revisit this salon when in town again because it feels fun and the staff were quite personable. read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Apparel - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I came home disappointed and pretty darned shocked, really. This is not the typical mani/pedi experience you would expect for the money. It's the most pared-down version I've ever experienced. Very discouraging experience for me. I had a very stressful week and was really looking forward to the appointment. Nice people, nails looked good. Good conversation. No complaint there. BUT. NO lotions, NO oils, NO soak in beautiful scents, NO hand, arm, foot or leg massage, NO scrubs, NO hot rocks, NO warm towels, NO paraffin treatments, NO amenities ... And NO chairs for the pedicure!!! So NO relaxation. Absolutely NO excuse. I don't know how the owners get away with it. I was charged $140 for a basic nail polish with cuticle work. You get charged extra if they have to remove any product from your nails. So, there's that. They do provide a generic bath bomb to throw in the water. But I couldn't reach the water. I'm short in stature so the set up doesn't work for me. Since chairs are not avaliable for the pedicure, the seating arrangements are hard steps that you sit on. Like a bleacher. My feet didn't reach the tub so I had to sit on the edge of this concrete seat with no back. I had to lean forward and hunch over the water so my toes barely dangled in the water. I've never seen a set up like this. Woefully inadequate and uncomfortable. The owners can do better for a nice team of people. I only gave it 1 star because they were lovely. They deserve better. So do we, for the price. It's an incredibly stripped down version of the typical mani/pedi experience. Kind of a bait and switch actually. read more

I've been going to Cute since 2017 and somewhere within the past couple years both locations seem to have started going downhill, which is a huge bummer! My most recent visit involved my appointment being switched last minute to someone I'd never seen before as the person I had originally scheduled with was late (like the last 2 times I'd scheduled with her. I know, fool me twice, yadda yadda). I didn't learn this until I got there as the appointment switch notification hit my email 15 minutes before my appointment time; no way I would've seen it beforehand as I was driving. The artist I was placed with did an okay job considering how suddenly my appointment was swapped to her; I'm not going to hold it against her because she seemed new and I respect Cute for giving people a place where they can practice and refine their skills. What I don't appreciate is watching the artist I had chosen walk in 20 minutes after my scheduled appointment time and eat breakfast in the waiting area while me and my nail artist sit in awkward silence. I understand there's a million unavoidable things that could cause someone to be late, and I'm not the most punctual person either, but having to wait at every single appointment, even early morning ones when the business has just opened, is getting really frustrating. The icing on the cake in this regard is Cute has a very strict late/no show policy that specifically states "If you arrive more than 10 minutes late to your nail appointment, it will be canceled and you will be charged 50%." I agree that their time is valuable and having worked in the service industry for 15 years, losing out on commission/hourly wages because of last minute cancellations sucks. However, it really sours the vibe when I'm stuck waiting at every appointment no matter who I book with. As other reviewers have pointed out, Cute has higher prices compared to other salons around town. I've been okay with this from the get-go as I support them paying their artists a living wage. Unfortunately it's getting harder and harder for me to justify paying their prices not only because of the lack of timeliness, but the general decline I've noticed in the actual manicures themselves. Polish coats that are too thick, cuticles getting cut, and gel that chips after a couple of days are becoming more frequent experiences for me here. If I'm going to trek from Way Up North Austin to either location for a gel mani, I want to know it's going to last through me typing on my keyboard and not give me a gnarly infection. I want to love Cute. I DID love Cute! One of the first things I did after getting fully vaccinated for COVID was go to Cute to get a gel manicure (I cried tears of joy). They did my nails for my wedding. For years I've sung the praises of this super LGBTQ+ friendly, sex-positive, workers' rights-supporting rainbow mermaid glittery extravaganza to everyone, but the vibes have not been great as of late. I know they went through an ownership change a little while ago, but these issues seem to extend beyond that. Here's to hoping this has just been growing pains and not an indicator of underlying issues. read more

i absolutely loved every second i spent here. everyone was so friendly and sweet. the vibes in the salon are absolutely adorable and aesthetically pleasing. my nail tech Isaiah was not only very talented in his craft but also such a great person to chat with! he went above and beyond and my nails turned out even more amazing then what i'd imagined. i would love to come back, they have a huge menu outside of nails that i can't wait to explore!! highly recommend this place!! read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love love loooove this place! The decor and vibe is super cute for sure. Isaiah and Courtney were super awesome. I took my four year old daughter for her first ever professional manicure, and she and I were very happy with the results. We will definitely be back! read more

I went in for a manicure and had the best experience! The salon is clean, they give each client their own nail tools which they can take home, and there are plenty of stations for all of the services. It's a bit more expensive than your typical nail salon but rightfully so. They are so good at nail art, so if that's your vibe, it's definitely worth it! Parking: There's a retail parking garage. Spots are a bit limited but it wasn't full when I went on a Wednesday evening. read more

What a great experience from the phone to the end of the service. Super clean and not even a pinch while doing a men's mani/ pedi. Christopher was exceptional and I'd highly recommend for anyone ! Give them a call and try them out - you won't be disappointed! read more

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Honestly, this place is too pricey for how they do their work . I got my nails done here and I wanted some medium length pink acrylic nails,first of all they didn't have someone that did them so I had to do gel. I explained the receptionist what I wanted and she asked me if I wanted extension paper but at the moment I didn't know what that was and she didn't explain so I just said no because I don't think I've ever used it before but I told her I wanted it exactly like the picture. after the new artist was done with me now I was very disappointed. They didn't put the medium length and ended up just putting gel on top of my normal nail. It literally look like they did nothing to my nail. they charged me and my friend 400+ for two pedicures and one manicure, which is not worth it. In my opinion not to mention the whole store was full of satanic symbols. customer service is probably the only good thing I have to say about this place and their pedicures. read more

I absolutely love seeing Megan Moore here. She does amazing work from waxing to tooth gems. However, I have had issues with front desk at both locations. My appointment time has been moved more than once without confirmation on my part or notice. More than once I have shown up for my 4pm appointment to find that it's been moved to 4:30 unbeknownst to me. You do receive text message confrontations and each time it's been for 4pm and have never received an additional notice for rescheduling. If you schedule an appointment be sure to call and confirm your time in advance. read more

I excitedly and happily paid around $500 to go to this salon for my daughter's birthday, and would like to submit this review as a warning to anyone thinking of doing the same with their hard-earned cash. 1. My hard gel extensions popped off of my hands around days 8-10. I am a stay-at-home mom that doesn't get her hands dirty. (Photo attached, where you can see there's no growth on my nails when they started coming off) 2. My tooth gem package was applied incorrectly (verified by multiple other professionals--photos attached.) The glue for my tooth gem was left all over my teeth, crossing over the space between my teeth like a bridge that made me unable to floss, and trapped bacteria in my mouth. When I did floss them, they immediately popped right off--which I later found out was due to incorrect application. See the gunky glue on the gems in photo attached. Another tooth gem pro described this application as "foul". 3. They don't do real pedicures, and didn't inform us of that when they charged my husband $90 for a 10 minute nothing. That's fine, but let your clients know you don't do luxury pedicures despite your more than luxurious pricing. 4. They are just plain rude on the S Congress location. I had 4 different service providers to tip, and when I asked how the tipping works, the front desk girl ROLLED HER EYES YALL (?!) and said "you just choose a percentage on your total like ANYWHERE ELSE" but then when I asked if they tip share, she said no..? Regardless, you don't treat your customers like they're stupid!! I had a good attitude and a smile on my face my entire visit there, and the employees seem miserable. 5. The girl that did my tooth gem did that cliché mean girl thing. I smiled at her when I saw her and she gave back a stank face....then when she realized I was her client, she tried to change her attitude, but still couldn't help being rude. I tried asking a question about my gems (my question was if I could pay to replace 1 out of the 4 if 1 fell off early) but before I could get the question out, she interrupted me and said there is no guarantee on the tooth gems because of SXSW. I just stopped talking because I realized it wasn't even worth it to try and come back to this woman. My husband was in the room with me, and immediately made a comment about how impolite she was when she left the room. Terrible terrible experience. For a place that charges such a premium for your visit, the least the employees can do is not act like they're better than their customers. I was so excited for this day, happy to spend the money on the experience, and went into the salon excited and relaxed...only to be repeatedly mistreated, and to find out the services rendered weren't of quality in the end. STAY AWAY. read more

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Had the best gel manicure from Lauren! She takes her time on each nail and we had the best chat. She is really talented and thoughtful with her craft. I will definitely be returning for another manicure. The studio is fun with bright colors and the staff are all friendly. read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Gel Manicure - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

We came here to celebrate the birthday of a 10 year old. When I originally made the appointment it was at the 7th St one due to me not knowing there was one on Congress. When you drive by you can't miss the storefront bc of all the pink vinyl on the window. When you walk in you get a blast of pink and I LOVE IT! The walls are painted in different colors with splashes of glitter. My daughter got a Hella Cute Gel Pedi + Simple Art minus the gel. They don't do a pedicure with simple art so this was the alternative. Christopher Navarro was who her appointment was scheduled with and he was the best. He helped her pick out the color and the stickers for her nails. I got the Hella Cute Pedicure with Tiffany DeLeon in white due to me wanting something simple. Tiffany was hilarious and we were singing along to the music of the 2000s that was playing. I will say that we had a great time and everyone told the birthday girl Happy Birthday. read more

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Christopher Navarro is awesome, but most of the others .. MEH. Christopher helped me with a manicure and IBX treatment to help strengthen my nails, 5 stars. Then the problems started at check out. Per Chris, I need 3 treatments without painting over to restore my brittle and damaged nails. As a result, I was charged a mani / IBX fee with no lacquer or gel service. Then I got a text from the front desk gal that she had gotten in trouble for charging me what she did. She rescheduled my next appt via text for Saturday. Showed up on Saturday and nope, she made the appointment for the wrong day. I rescheduled again and ended up with Sandra. When I arrived, Sandra seemed to have little idea about the treatment or the process, gave me a crappy manicure, and lackluster service. Checked out and was charged $ 77 bucks for about a half hour appt. I've been coming here since before the pandemic and the service, quality and management aren't cute anymore. It's becoming the little shop of horrors. As a person of color and ally, I want to give them all my support and money BUT the greed for the green has turned me off. read more

It's been awhile since I've gone to Cute but wanted to try the new location. Christopher did an amazing job! He's not only super talented but made the experience great! Highly recommend! read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

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They didn't it again!! I can't say enough good things about Cute on South Congress! I got my wedding nails done and I couldn't be happier. Everyone was so incredibly kind and friendly. They even played "going to the chapel" for my fiancé and I. read more

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I like this location of Cute even better than the one on the East Side because it's less crowded and feels relaxing and cute-the girls were all super cool and friendly and even laughed at my jokes-I went in thinking I was just going to get black, but Darniella (sorry if misspelled) was next to someone getting Chrome French tips, so I was like ooh and she did this dope ombré on me. Looks great and perfect for being a goth hairstylist. The shop itself is so cute it makes you want everything in it, and they even are selling local adorable hand painted art by my buddy Katie Cowden read more

Before here my nails grew insanely thick and were very healthy. BEFORE. They severely messed up my nails to the point that its 3 months after the fact and my nail bed is very bumpy and my nails still continue to grow out very thin and weak. I left a review about 3 months ago about what the service was about and I'm here to update- they never picked up any of my calls. I asked for someone to speak to to fix my situation, and they said they couldn't refund me if a manager wasn't in but they took my number and name and said they would call me back when one is in. So eventually 3 days went by, and it was not normal for a manager to not come in within that time, so I called again, and the same ordeal but no number or name was taken. Then I was fed up and finally called again but I was very disappointed with this lack of responsibility (60 dollars for an acrylic removal *all drilled off, no soak off). So the third time I called again about 2 weeks later- no pick-up, I was left calling for 10 minutes before I gave up, before I gave up hope, I called 2 more separate times and the same thing happened, 10-20 minutes left on the stupid music. Then finally I went off to college and I'm just very disappointed. I'm not a Karen or normally someone who complains but my whole removal was just drilled off, with her not even taking care of my nail beds and when I walked out, they were so insanely thin I started crying, now about almost 4 months later my nail beds are insanely bumpy and have actual dents. Also, I've noticed the middle of the nail beds have an actual bump-like stick up which I'm assuming is my nail finally growing out and it meets with the thin nail bed in the middle, it looks horrible. But the nail appointment was only like 20 minutes, no soak off, didn't dust off all the dust, and actually rubbed it in with cuticle oil like girl stop offering me cuticle oil if it's just my nail dust rubbed in with it. If I could give a 0-star review I would. I don't complain about services. Never ever have I. But the lack of accountability is insane and straight lying to my face. I am a broke college student and wanted the money back for stuff for my dorm too cus I was given an awful service. I went to an outside website that's made for like issues like these, where they reach out to the company for a response. No response, no surprise there! . Very disappointed at the time I finally decide to speak up on an issue. I warned all my coworkers and friends to never go here, just a cash grab cutesy that offers horrible services. read more

~*Cute Nail Studio*~ accurately named, staffed and interior designed:) I brought my girl here with me and we had a mani and a pedi... all of our hopes and nail dreams were indeed actualized in that glorious pink and rainbow pastel puffy good space filled with fem notions in rugs and pastel chandelier and cloudy cotton ball puffed lighting. I was delighted-needless to say upon arrival in this Kawaii Heaven. I felt so lady and majical there. Nail art and artist on point and the decor inspired me to get a pastel rainbow art and stylized eye on an opaque mint base * My girl got an opaque indigo nail job with purple ombré flames and the most delicate celestial golden star bursts. Definitely returning here and definitely upgrading to Tier 2 or 3 Art next time. Worth every penny and moment. I wish more businesses would take cues from Cute Nails and make their business space so special and memorable* read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

Cute was exactly that, cute! Very fun decor. Very overpriced. I like my nails but I don't LOVE them, and it took 4 hours, so I likely will not return. Everyone knows, time is valuable... my evenings are precious to me and I didn't get home until 10pm, after my 6:15pm appointment. Not to mention I got a fill and a gel pedicure and it was $256! As someone who gets their nails done every two weeks, the speed at which I get them done is important to me. As well as precision and my nails have looked better after a 1h30 min appt. read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Cute mail stations - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

I looked for almost a year to find a great nail salon. Moved here in March 2021 and I had the hardest time finding a place that did gel nails. It is my personal preference and I think it's a better product than the dipping powder. But wow, these nail techs are also artists!! The nail art they do is fantastic! I follow the shop on Instagram and I'm always blown away. I'm pretty boring and I do very simple nails. The salon is also very clean, and of course, "cute", with an edge. read more

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Had an incredible first time nail art experience with Bri at the Congress location! We ended up using my phone case as inspiration for swirly blue marbleized nails with gold flecks. They turned out even better than I imagined! Bri was a delight and the shop is adorable. Staff was friendly and kind. Can't wait to go back! read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Marbleized blue nails with gold flecks by Bri. - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

havent gotten my nails done yet but looking forward to doing it! i got a tiny tat :) it was easy to book and Bree was so amazing. Even tho it wasn't my first tattoo, i felt so welcome and appreciated! Bree has the best tattoo artist story lol and she even asked about my tats and the reason i was getting one. I loved it so much. I see all the cute a$$ nail art so i def have to come back! there are so many services here that i haven't gotten a chance to try yet. love love love. highly recommend! read more

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I'm sad to say this, but I was really disappointed with my experience at Cute Nail Salon. I went for a pedicure and despite it being about twice as expensive as a pedicure elsewhere in Austin, it lasted about half the time. The vibes are great and I love that they care about quality, cleanliness, and paying their employees fairly. That being said, the service was really lacking. My technician started about 10 minutes after my appointment time and I was done and out about 20 minutes after. Would not recommend getting a pedicure here. Giving three starts for the ambiance not the service. read more

I love the OG Cute on 7th, but this location is NEXT LEVEL!! Everything is sooo cute from the rainbow glitter walls to the pedicure benches and the nail techs and estheticians are the best of the best. I got the cute brow service from Elyse and it turned out beautiful. Perfect for my anniversary weekend. I am also an avid collector of their merch and skincare products. Highly recommend!! Rose Quartz and Ritual Magick are my absolute favorites, but literally everything smells amazing! read more

I've been to the other Cute location a few times and have always loved the results. I tired out their new location on South Congress during their soft opening and was blown away! I got my nails done by Jan, who was super nice and made great recommendations. I don't get my nails done too often and she was super helpful in figuring out exactly what I wanted. I knew I wanted a specific design painted on and when she suggested the gems I got so excited! The more sparkle, the better. It was a great experience from beginning to end. I told Jan my nail extensions have never lasted longer than a week to a week and a half. The ones she did stayed on over 3 weeks, with all the gems in tact. I can't wait to go back in the future! read more

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So cringe. There's a giant sign with a vulgar word sexually assaulting your eyes the second you walk in. They think it makes them brave and empowered. Nails are extremely expensive and the job was a joke. She spent about 20 mins doing mine. The color was so thin and my cuticles were given no attention. Tacky, classless establishment. read more

Cute is SO CUTE!!! the vibes, the nail techs, the choices, all adorable. great service from Serina & Christopher, felt like we were chatting with besties! read more

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My favorite salon of all times forever. Always cute, the staff is amazing. The only place I will go in the city for a Brazilian. Also pedicure station is adorable:) read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Perfect nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

I went to get my eyebrows microbladed, and I got the initial treatment done. Probably the best place I've ever gone to tbh. Literally never written a yelp review but I guess it's time. Favorite part was how helpful, nice, and understanding every person was. Obviously the place is hella cute too and has excellent queer vibes. Sometimes when I go to places I get nervous telling anyone I'm Poly or that I go by she/they. I didn't feel scared of mentioning that there at all. Feels like they actually care about the people they see there and I hope to keep going back. My treatment was done by Sam and she was super helpful and nice. She gave me a blankie and lil stress toys if I needed them during the treatment, which helped! So far I got a few products but have only tried the cuticle oil so far. Smells great and works well, first time using one. Met a guy there (idk if he works there) that was super friendly and we chatted about which scents we liked best there. The nice person at the front desk asks me to wash my hands whenever I go in, and I love seeing the Covid help. Overall I think this is a really accepting and wonderful place for anyone but especially queer people or people of color. 10/10 chef's kisses. Also un important but also very important is they played 2 different Hannah Montana songs while I was in the main studio room and my inner child loved it. Edit: Posted 9 photos so idk why yelp only is showing I posted 4 but just imagine like 5 other cute photos read more

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https://www.facebook.com/reel/724039845985241?mibextid=uc01c0&fs=e&s=TIeQ9V Super cute salon, great vibe and really nice people. Bri is an awesome creator; she is friendly and easy to work with. Definitely going back to her! read more

Oh my god! I literally cannot say enough amazing things about Cute! I've gotten manicures, pedicures and a facial and they were all above and beyond! The staff are incredible and the vibes in this place are so positive. They definitely cater to their clients! read more

Loved this spot! Seriously how absolutely dreamy and ya- CUTE. The decor is DELIGHTFUL and my sweet gal Vanity did the most wonderful stellar job on my poor feet- I walked in looking real rough and walked out feeling jusssst gorgeoussssss . If y'all can, book Miss Vanity! A true gem I will be back! read more

Cute Nail Studio never disappoints!! Cadia did an awesome job, and my nails turned out even nicer than the reference photo I showed. Couldn't be happier! read more

Cute Nail Studio Congress - Art Tier 1 Some! Full-Coverage Extensions - Nail Salons Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came here during my vacation to get overlay gel man & ped. Very cute place. They were very professional, clean, patient & friendly. I recommend it here. Not too far from the hotspot at the South Congress shopping area. read more

I booked a custom facial with Sam and it was one of the best facials I've ever had! The salon itself is just a delight, you can't be in a bad mood in there, just so "CUTE". Sam asked me lots of questions before we got started to make sure my skin concerns were considered and addressed. She's very knowledgable and I immediately knew I was in good hands. The treatment room was serene and cozy and the whole experience was so relaxing. The quality of the products used were also top notch and I loved the jelly mask treatment! I left glowing and fully satisfied with my service. I'll definitely be visiting again :) 10/10 read more

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The front desk doesn't respond to any voicemails, but I am excited to get my nails done here.

My experience with Marly was great! The place was super cute and clean inside and everyone was really attentive. They use really high-quality products compared to the basic nail salon. Also, I gave Marly little direction as to what I wanted and let her do her thing, and she made my nails look so cute! Will definitely be back. read more

I LOVED this place. all employees seemed so great but I personally recommend Christopher. my nails look fantastic and the vibe is fun and lovely. I rarely get my nails done but I think they've made me a regular. read more