great experience and service here! lovely ladies, based off the photos on yelp/google, this place has definitely been updated. it's all white on the inside and plants EVERYWHERE. some seats you can people watch on 23rd, but there are no tvs when i went early July! i saw Nia for my acrylic fill and she had me in and out in 45mins-hour. she used a gel dip instead of powder dip and it stung under the light in the beginning but she told me just do one finger at a time and tap them on the table. mine have lasted a month since got them done! these ladies used to be at Midas Nails down the street but from my understanding they are converting to Elegant nails south on 23rd. it's a small salon, defiantly recommend calling in advance read more

Elegant Nails - plum wine acrylic nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place was great. I called for a walk in pedicure. The precious place I went to did not do a good job and many of my toenails had broke. I called this place as a one off to try to find a better salon I can go to, they were able to reshape and fix all of my broken nails and all of the ladies were very kind and sweet. The only downside is the parking in the area. Pricing was decent read more

Always a very professional job. Staff is very experienced, friendly and do a great job!

I can definitely understand why the customer base here is very loyal. If you care about no chemical smell in a nail salon and actually have someone spend time on your nails then this is the haven for you! -$35 full set acrylic -Clean -No chemical smell -In the Pearl If you have previous acrylic on they will remove it free of charge as long as you're getting a full set. They only have one person who does acrylics here and her name is Chi. Everyone else does shellac and pedicures. I advise you bring your own nail file. Chi took time on my nails, I had previous acrylic on and she carefully took them off. You have the option to soak them in acetone (let her know ahead) or to have them peeled off (don't recommend this unless you have high pain tolerance). She did an overall good job I came in at 3:30pm and left at 5:30pm. Nails be fleeky! read more

Elegant Nails - Acrylic full set with regular polish. Almond shape - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Always a quality experience. Highly skilled technicians . prompt service and excellent results. It's a treat to get service at Elegant Nails. read more

I am updating my review because of my last two experiences. Since Annie left, I've used two different nail technicians. Both times have been inadequate and below par. Thursday's visit will be mine & my friend's last time frequenting this business. I asked for a nail trim & color (no soak) and a mani (buff & shin). On the nail trim, she cut both of my big toes so short that they are red, sore and when cleaning it, slightly bloody. The moment my friend and I out our shoes on - it was painful. Now, two days later - it is even more so. I'm hoping that it heals or by Monday will be scheduling a doctor appointment. My friend didn't have any better luck with her full pedi - and it was a different nail technician! I normally don't mind a language barrier but the woman working on me when I asked if the tools were clean (they had already been sitting in the basket & normally Annie would take them out of a new bag), she just said "Yes." I tried to make small talk, even commenting her necklace was pretty - no response. She lacked absolutely no customer service. No smile, no nothing. She used a nail file and buffer that I am pretty sure had been used before. Confirmed it when I watched her put the buffer back in the main bag in their closet after my pedi (I was still waiting for my friend). She finally said the most words that I heard from her all night while my toes were drying under the heaters, "Will you pay me now, I'm off." Well, of course I will but unlike any other nail technician I have ever had, you didn't help bring any of my belongings over after you had me get up out of the massage chair immediately when you finished polishing my nails (instead of at least waiting a minute for them to dry). So I gave her my money and now have sore and hopefully not infected toes. On the bright side, at least I know why she was rushed - she wanted to get off work. Well, if so, please don't take on another customer because now your salon has lost 2 because of it. Pretty much there appears to have been turnover here and customer service is severely lacking. I no long recommend this salon and urge you to go elsewhere. read more

Elegant Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

If you are in need of a manicure/pedicure in a pinch, this a great place for something quick. This isn't a luxury experience, but they get the job done. The salon is very clean, the service is efficient, and the prices are decent ($25 for a mani/pedi combo). Request your service upstairs, and while your nails are drying you will be treated to a massage chair that is out-of-this-world. Make sure you have some cash, as they don't take credit cards. If you show up with plastic, they have an ATM available, but be prepared for that pesky service charge. read more

Elegant Nails - From the Web - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

What the actual eff. I had my nails done in shellac. They charged me extra $10 because I chose a metallic color. Which is fine. It just wasn't in any sign or online. I'm not fond of fees that aren't listed anywhere. Kim was the one who helped me. She was very good and kept checking her work. I definitely appreciate the effort. My friend, on the other hand, came in for a fill, she had a different nail person. I looked online and saw that fills cost $25. So I said, "fills are $25, right?" She looks at me incredulously, looks at my friend, goes "no, no, no, she's having shellac, it's at least $40!". It cost my friend $35 to get full sets, and to fill is $40? Girl, in what country?? Dubai?? Okay, so anyway, I didn't say anything about it, but I asked my friend later what had happened after I left, apparently the woman tried to tell her that she needs a full set, even though I was there almost the whole time that nail person was reshaping her nails and mentioned nothing about needing a full set. It was because she got the drill on the wrong position and had lifted two of the nails herself! Not my friends fault. They also don't have it anywhere on their website and in their location, about upgrade pricings. Someone else commented about how she got a regular manicure and got charge $15 extra, because the sign "isn't updated". They are lucky she paid, I would have asked for the owner and or manager. Not being upfront about pricing is a big No. The place is clean, and I'm okay with my manicure with Kim. I told her upfront that my gels tends to fade faster at the tips so we'll see how long this shellac nails last. I will upgrade if this work lasts at least a week. Update: from 2 stars to 1 star, 5 days in, and waste of money. I seriously could have done this myself. They charge you more for shellac because it's supposed to lasts way longer than less than a week, plus $10 more for metallic color that is now almost gone on the tips! read more

Elegant Nails - End of day 1. This doesn't look right. - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I am impressed with this nail salon as was my friend. I've been here twice. It is very clean, the chairs are comfortable, and they did a wonderful job with our pedicure and manicures. One star away since I wish they would do a harsher job with my heels since *sigh* they are always dry. My friend who was visiting from Seattle was shocked that it was only $35 for the combination. Much better service and price than her neck of the woods :). I'll be back! read more

Sadly, this was one of the worst shellac manicures I've had. The nail tech didn't have the color on the swatch I chose, so she blended 3 different colors, which is fine - but she literally put 7 coats of color on. My cuticles are all jacked and she left such a large space at the bottoms of my nails that it looks like they're grown out over a week. She was really nice, but I get a better manicure down the street for cheaper so I will just continue to go there instead. read more

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Came here today with a friend and wow we both had completely different experiences. The nail technician I got rushed through everything I didn't even get to look through all the colors. She took maybe 20 mins todo my nails start to finish and painted over my cuticles and left air bubbles. Then put oil on my hands no message. After that I had to sit and watch my friend get a wonderful manicure 40 mins longer than mine and message with lotion. I know in a couple days to a week my nails will be lifting. The most annoying part she didn't even have a client after me she just sat on her phone. read more

Elegant Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because my appointment was for 1:30pm and Thu didn't start on me until about 1:40pm. When Thu was fast to apologize for being late due to having a hard time finding parking. Although she did a fabulous job on my nails and I love the outcome, she took a very long time. She didn't finish until 3:20pm. It should only take about an hour to get a full set. Maybe 1 hour 15 min at the most. Her attention to detail was amazing. They have a great selection of colors whether you want shilac or solar or just a mani-pedi buff out. The atmosphere was very nice and friendly. They offered everyone Water or Tea which was nice because it was so cold outside. Thu and some of the other nail techs even gave the clients little warming pads to place on our neck! I would suggest making an appointment as it seems to always be a steady flow of clients coming in. The lady sitting next to me said she had been coming to Elegant Nails for over 6 years and would never go anywhere else. As I was leaving there was a large group of kids under 12 or so getting their nails done in the upstairs area. So although they cater to adults they also will host children's nail party's as well. The bathroom was very clean as well as the rest of the shop which is set in a charming old Portland bungalow. There is a nice little waiting area complete with tons of magazines for your reading pleasure. I am very glad my usual nail place totally blew it and forces me to look elsewhere which is why I stumbled upon Elegant Nails in the first place! I will be making Elegant Nails my new place and making sure I request Thu every time! I will definitely do a better job at communicating that I have a specific time I need to be out of there. I'm sure had I don't this in the beginning Thu would not have taken so long to finish. I've included lots of pictures so you can decide for yourself. Thanks Elegant Nails!!! read more

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Came here today short notice and got the best service! Thu spent so much time making sure my nails were perfect and exactly what I wanted. She is so friendly and made the experience 10x better. I would definitely recommend this salon to all my friends! Thank you! read more

Elegant Nails - New Set (Acrylic) - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've been to this nail salon multiple times over ten years and they're usually uncommonly good. Polish is 99% applied evenly and precisely (which is my sticking point for getting manicures) and the place is always clean. There have been times when the hot water has run out or when the massage chair doesn't work, but overall I've had pleasant experiences. I recommend a reservation since elegant nails is usually packed especially on the weekends. read more

Elegant Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Best massage chairs, best street view to stare out the window at while the paint cooks, warm, friendly staff, and most of all a CLEAN FACILITY. While I took the time to be pampered, I watched a busy woman get a standard mani pedi in less than one hour. These people are the real deal. read more

Incredibly rude to their customers and not clean at all. I do not recommend this place.

Frustrating to leave a negative review, but having lost an hour of precious kid-free time I am compelled. Pedicure is messy: clumpy, uneven color, and nowhere near worth $35. Cancelled/quit my manicure half way through as it was turning out significantly worse than the pedicure and I wouldn't be able to take the gels off at home. They tack on a 2% charge for any card transactions, even if $50+, and don't accept AmEx. Take your time and money elsewhere. read more

I love coming here to get my nails done. Everyone here is so friendly inviting. I get gel nails and pedi's. Kim is who I see, but all the girls are great! I have several clients who come here as well, and we all love it! They work extra hard to please you and give really great messages. Thank you girls for doing such a great job every time! I sure appreciate you! read more

I got a full set of acrylics with gel and nail art. They are perfect! Will be coming back. read more

Elegant Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've never had such a bad experience at a nail salon? I called and scheduled 4 repairs. 3 on 1 hand, 1 on the other. She told me $3 each nail, since I just had them done and already 4 came off. She proceeded to fix 3 and I was incredibly confused. I had to ask her to take off the tip from one acrylic and redo it because it looked off. From here on out, she was irritated. When I asked her to do my thumb, she told me she didn't have enough time and tried to charge me $15 for 3 nails. Never again, I still have one broken nail. Update: Two days after I got my "repairs" two more of them broke. Hands down the worst nail salon experience I've ever had. Tried to get them fixed but they would charge- even though this is my second time having them come off when I am nowhere near hard on my nails. Never again. read more

I'm well aware that businesses like this are busier on the weekends, but when I showed up early for my appointment, the greeter gave me a frustrated look. I told her i didn't mind waiting, and sat... and waited. When the pedicure started, she pretty much went after my feet before I could take my shoes off. There was no soaking time, and you can still see my old nail polish through the new polish. One of her regulars came in, and she sped up the process to go visit with her. not worth the $25. read more

This have been my go-to nail spot for years! They do a great thorough job with both mani and pedi's. Sometimes I'll make an appointment and sometimes I won't, I'd say about 75% of the time they're very quick with accommodating me without an appointment. If you make one though, you'll walk in and your chair will be all ready for you. They always have great current magazine, the good stuff like People. Once seated they'll offer you coffee/tea/water which is a nice touch, as well as drape you in a hot neck pillow which is heavenly in winter. The pedicure massage chairs are totally awesome as well. Depending on who you get, the length of service will vary. Seems like sometimes they're just trying to get it over with which is a bummer, I like to relax and take a little time for myself! One small con is that it's cash only but there is an ATM inside that only charges 25 cents for a transaction, and there are banks nearby on 23rd if you want to skip the extra charge. Parking is challenging if you go during the middle of the day or on a weekend. 23rd tends to be a little cray cray sometimes. read more

1.#1 in my mind for a grreat mani-pedi in portland - priced at $35 for both. 2. BiBi is my girl, she idoes an amazing job by getting your tips n toes done quickly but not rushed. She has her teqnique perfected as far as shaping of the nails, they always look fantastic! She gives a mean foot & hand massage too! 3. The parking is tight, it is NW pdx. SooO give yourself time to arrive on time for your appointment. I recommend making an appointment especially, in the summer months. I love that they offer you tea or H20, a heated neck wrap and they use sterilized, freshly opened packages of mani-pedi tools for every customer. The upstairs spa chairs are my fav and I request to be upstairs. I especially like the room to the north upstairs, if you have a trio of ladies your mani-peding with. It's the BEST and feels like a private mani-pedi spa room. And...dont worry if you space your flip flops, you can buy $1 flops to go. Also, I love that it's next door to a Mio sushi also because I can get good sushi afters..... read more

I have had a mani/pedi here more time than I can count and it has always been good. It isn't the luxury experience, but they do a good job for the price. I highly recommend Kim who as I type this did my nails a week ago and they still look absolutely perfect! She is a gem! read more

It was only moderately busy when I went. I was seated quickly and the woman doing my nails seemed friendly enough. Things were a little off though. 1. She cut my nails too short. I asked for a little bit and they're now much shorter than I would have liked. (She asked if it was ok and I said yes, because seriously what are you going to do if they're too short?) 2. The filing left them uneven. I only really notice after I left. 3. They asked for money before they started painting. I guess there's some logic there. You pay so you don't have to fumble with your wallet with wet nails. They also demand cash.... 4. When I was waiting for them to dry, a woman was hovering around with a heated neck pillow waiting for me to leave. They definitely wanted turn over as quickly as possible. 5. The polish is already wearing off at the tips. It's only been 3 days. While it was friendly, it was also very rushed and the results weren't worth the trouble. read more

Literally the worst nail experience ever. The woman who started my nails was doing a fine job and had another woman take over. This woman put the acrylic on my nails only to literally take it all off to the point the white tips were now see through, and was confused when I said I was not pleased with the results. She cut me because she was pissed I was complaining, and would not let me hold my own thumb when it was bleeding and didn't want me to see so. I can feel it bleeding woman! The worst of it all as a business owner, to charge me when I finally stopped her and asked her to not finish (I'll go somewhere they know what they are doing) and not even apologize or offer any other options- no way to run a business. You are running an awful business! read more

Elegant Nails - The worst. This is the end results. Do not go there. You'll throw 25 bucks down the drain. - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I love this place. I've been going for 18 years. Great service every time. You can walk in almost any day. You can also pick up wine at the shop downstairs for an extra treat. read more

I've been going to Elegant Nails for 10 years and they are still my absolute go-to. Last week, I spontaneously took the plunge and got acrylic nails for the first time and Chee did an AMAZING job. She listened when I asked for them super short and they stayed looking flawless. It was a quick week later though that I decided with my job, acrylics just aren't my cup of tea so I made an appointment to get them taken off. I have always stayed away from acrylics because of the fear that taking them off would remove layers and layers of natural nail. But! Timmy spent 45 minutes WORKING MAGIC! She meticulously went layer by layer removing the acrylic and left my natural nails fully intact, shaped, and professional looking. I highly recommend Elegant Nails for all services, and hold them in especially high regard when it comes to acrylics because of the level of care and detail that I received. read more

Kind, professional, efficient, fun, and great toes and nails! Reasonable prices, extra perks if asked for a longer hand/foot massage. I love this place and have been going for 8+ years! BEST mani/pedi in Portland! read more

Made an appointment to get a pedicure with my wife today. Showed up at our appointment time and was helped right away. We were taken upstairs to a semi-private area. The water was already filled and ready, and was just the right temperature (actually warm for a change). They had a good selection of colors, and they did both our feet really well. They manicured our nails and cuticles well, which I appreciate because I've been places where they cut my nails so short I got an ingrown nail. Both ladies were very kind and attentive. These ladies are professional. The space is clear. The temperature is just right. They have good ventilation and air flow so you can't smell any chemicals. The music is relaxing and they have a number of periodicals to read. My only complaint was the massage chair wasn't very powerful, but whatever! Oh and they have little drying fans to put your feet under to dry the polish. read more

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Horrible. I won't ever go back. My gel mani was rushed and began chipping 1 day after getting them done. The tips turned black and are disgusting. My friend I went with had the same issue so I don't believe it's a technician specific thing but honestly the worst manicure I've ever had read more

I love Elegant Nails! They've been so nice every time i have gone in and I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience everytime. No, it's not Dosha or a fancy pants type place, but for the price, I think you get a lot of bang for your buck! If you like more massage, just ask the people ahead of time for someone that gives them. It's in this cute old house right in the heart of 23rd. The only drawback is that it's cash only, but worst case scenario you forget cash and have to pay 25 cents to take some out of their ATM. All around great experience and I've now been about 10 times since last summer. Worth it! read more

My boyfriend called to make an appointment thinking this was the place that we visited before. Turns out it wasn't, but we were pleasantly surprised when we walked in. This is a former residential house that was turned into a nail salon. It is two stories and the space is well laid out and effiecient. They have about 10 pedicure chairs total between the upstais and downstairs spaces. They had our chairs ready for our appointment, no waiting. I like how they kept a little room separation of the original house. This made the 3-4 chairs in feel like a private service rather than the two long rows of chairs where everyone is facing each other. The service was great. I appreciated that eall the cuticle clippers and pushers were autoclaved and that they used new pumice stones and emery boards for each client at no charge. There are other places in town that will charge you $1 for the emery board and buffer. The polish job could have been a little cleaner, but it's a minor flaw compared to everything else. Keep in mind they are a CASH ONLY establishment, but there is an ATM in the front room that only charges $.25! We've happily stumbled upon our new pedi place! read more

I'm very pleased with the pedicure I got here. I was a walk in but they welcomed me in and I got an appointment right away. The massage seats are pretty awesome. Everyone there was really nice to me. And the best part is the price - maybe I just went to the wrong places before, but $25 for a pedicure seems like such a good deal to me. I'll definitely be back in the future. read more

Elegant Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Experience was nice. Massage chairs, tea, and warm neck wraps. However, they charged $5 to remove shellac, which is crazy. Should just be part of the service. Also, my nails chipped in less than 24 hours, which is a total bummer. I expect a manicure, even if it's not shellac, to last longer than a day. The guy who did my nails was nice but seemed to be rushing through things. Never offered to refill my drink or re-heat my neck wrap. The second he was finished painting my nails he went to help another customer and never came back to check on me. I'll stick to my regular nail salon. Half the price and twice as good results. UPDATE: Three days later and all my nails are chipped/peeling off. Well, that was a waste of $40. read more

I loved this place! It was classy, clean, and so friendly! They have tons of shellac colors and I got the coolest multi color manicure from Annie! I definitely recommend this place! read more

Elegant Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've gone back a couple of times since my original review. They are always really friendly and do a great job. read more

Elegant Nails - Beautiful job. The slightly red pointer finger is on me, not their fault. :) - Nail Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I don't know why, but this is my favorite nail salon. I stop here whenever I'm in Portland. Maybe it's the extras, like the hot towel after your foot massage or the aromatherapy neck wrap. Plus I've never had to wait to get in, even on weekends. But best of all - it's got great atmosphere, as nail salons go. Other mid priced salons are often sterile, with florescent lights and the air filled with that pungent nail-salon stench. But Elegant Nails is instead nicely situated in a real house just off 23rd - with natural light, fresh air (they tend to keep the door open), trees just outside, and a downright feng shui interior. Just bring cash, they don't accept anything else. read more

I was surprised to not see more reviews for this salon! I have been going here for years with my mom and godmom and they are ALWAYS packed. But, there is a good reason they are packed. This is hands down the best nail salon in Portland. I tend to hop around when it comes to getting my semi-regular mani/pedi, but I always end up back at Elegant. They do the best job of any salon in Portland and provide all the great little extras like neck wraps, leg massages, etc. My nails always last and last for days longer than anywhere else I go. Plus, the atmosphere is so much more upscale than other nail salons in town. Very calm, pretty, clean. And the price isn't too bad. They are really accommodating to groups, bachelorette parties, etc. I have gone in here with a group of girlfriends with a few bottles of champagne on a Sunday afternoon and they have been more than welcoming - they even encourage it. It is also located in a great neighborhood, although sometimes parking can be a pain but that's just NW. Lots of great spots near by for lunch/brunch, shopping as well. Side note: They don't accept CC or checks, so make sure to bring cash as their ATM charges you an arm and a leg for withdrawal. read more

CREDIT CARD THIEVES! Caution w/ this "business" - - they're a SCAM and stole my credit card info, only having to STOLEN over $800 of online purchases. RUDE CUSTOMER SERVICE! They don't acknowledge you or speak English when UR being attended to. Sterility/cleanliness of water is HIGHLY questionable. My friend even acquired toenail fungus days after we went to this (criminal) place! Be careful - - PAY IN CASH but HIGHLY RECOMMEND to go to ann alternate, better established/better quality (SAFER!) business. read more