BEWARE OF THE OWNER- extremely aggressive and rude, even in front of his young daughter. This is a very disappointing review to write and I'm sure the owner knows it's coming, as he is the reason for the one star. I always get a standard mani pedi and have been coming since before covid but decided for Valentine's Day I wanted a fun design, so I scheduled with Kim. She worked very hard on the design and it was well done. Unfortunately, the neon color I chose looked very different after being so many times under the UV that it completely lost its brightness. She was nice to go over the design and see if we could get a prettier color, which we did get in the end. The problem was that with dip as well as the extra coats, the polish was super thick and that was probably going to be something I would pick at. While I was debating if I should have her remove it right away (which I know is a charge we had already discussed earlier in the session) or think about it overnight and come back tomorrow to remove or redo it to a regular polish, I asked her if she had any availability and her husband/owner abruptly cut in saying "THEN WE WILL CHARGE YOU DOUBLE!" I calmly said I understood and that I never said I wasn't going to pay for the services. I had been at the salon for 2 hours with Kim working hard, but that does not mean that I have to like it or that I won't pay for a redo to regular polish or the removal. I repeated to him that I was sorry he'd dealt with people before who weren't as nice and I would have obviously paid for the next services but now I guess I'll have to go somewhere else to have it taken care of. This was very heartbreaking because I could see Kim looking down and I still think she did a good job and I hope she knows that. I just didn't like the way the polish felt sticking so far out from my fingers due to all of the coats. I clicked the pay button on Venmo which I hadn't done yet since I was deciding whether or not I should have her remove the polish right away and would add that charge to the total and then later as I was leaving the owner yelled, "DID YOU PAY?!" while still sitting in the massage chair. Kim and I both told him yes and I left feeling like I just broke up with someone. I'm actually tearing up as I write this. I'm so disappointed and want the polish removed even more now so I don't have to look at it and be reminded of him. read more

Called the same day and asked if they have an appointment and they gave me the time I wanted. I kind of showed up earlier and they accommodated me. I got a gel manicure and a regular pedicure. I was asked to pick my color and their were so many options. I like lighter soft shades and to my surprise they had a lot of choice for that. This is the first place where I was taking my time and having a dilemma on what to choose so that was very refreshing. Two technicians did my fingers and toes simultaneously. They also got the massager turned on on my chairs. They did the usual cleaning, nail cutting, filling, pushing the cuticle and all of that. The bonus was they gave me a leg, neck and shoulder massage. The price was very reasonable. They do take a card but I did tip in cash. It's a small place so I recommend calling before going in. You might have a short wait sometimes. They also do designs and they are good at them. I will definitely coming back! read more

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Big props to Helen, the Queen of cuticles and massage. She did an outstanding job (and I am hella demanding, lol). Also, their prices for regular mani are really awesome, especially considering they are in Rockridge. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

i love this salon and they do really nice pedicures! it's often busy because i think others know how good it is too. definitely worth a visit. thanks galaxy nails! read more

Galaxy Nails is my go-to salon. I've been coming here for over 15 years. They are my family. BEAUTIFUL nails. More than 5 stars! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Regular Gel manicure. - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

If you're looking for reasonable priced Gel X, Galaxy Nail Salon is the place to go. You have to ask for Kim as she is the only one who does Gel X and design. It's a little tight, small salon but the techs are great! They only do soft gel and Gel X here-- no acrylics. Make an appt before coming in, again Kim is the only tech doing Gel X. One of the other techs came and removed my gel polish and buffed my nails while Kim was finishing up an appt. Kim is the business owner and works from 9-7pm doing Gel X. I prefer the Gel X as it is better for your natural nails. The standard gel extension come in shorter Almond shapes. So she had to bring our the long extensions (that's what I wanted) and to file it into coffin. They didn't have the deep glitter green i wanted but had a similar color. Kim works efficiently and is able to listen to you for any adjustments you want to make to the shape and design. Gel X appts are around 1 hour but with design takes around 1.5 hours. I got exactly what i wanted: length, shape, colors, design! All for $75. The preferred payment is cash or Zelle App so have those available. She even ended the appointment with a shoulder massage. I would definitely come back! Support small local businesses! read more

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birthday nail fail. So bummed out, not at all what I was hoping for.. I just wanted to look at my hands and feel joy. This is awful. The vibes weren't great either, just overall not a good experience this time. read more

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I have never gotten my nails done before but I decided with a wedding and holidays coming up to treat myself! I heard great things about gelx from my friends and found this place on Yelp that does gelx. I made an appointment the day before and luckily they had the time I wanted to come in available. Right when I got there, the ladies there made me feel at home. They were kind and listened to exactly what I wanted. She carefully prepared my nails and made sure I was happy every step of the way. She paid attention to all the details and made everything look fantastic. It was $65 for gelx French tips with some small designs. She also gave me a hand and neck massage at the end of it all. After such a great experience, I am definitely looking forward to getting my nails done more here! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

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My friend comes here and I always love her nails so when it was time for NYE and bday nails I wanted to go where she went. I had bare nails to begin with. I made an appointment ahead of time. I got gel extensions. Took a total about 90 mins. I brought in pics of what I wanted and got exactly what I was envisioning. Very happy with my nails and they give you a nice little massage at the end which was very relaxing. It's a small salon with a few stations. Not one of those big and fancy Instagramable places but I don't care about that when it comes to beauty services. I'd recommend an appointment for getting gel extensions or a design. But they do take walk ins as well if they're not too busy. read more

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Originally would have given a 2 or 3 star rating but they were really great with customer service. Interior is pretty small and crammed so don't expect it to be grand and spacious + make sure to call for an appt. $55 gel extension basic and for additional designs around $65-70+. CASH preference! Pictured in my review is a photo of what I wanted versus what I got because they didn't have the thin gold design color so I had to opt for white (and the white lines were done super thick so I didn't like it). I came the next day telling the owner who did my nails and she was really kind to offer to re-do them for free. I appreciated that! She did a great job with the nail shape and length. Galaxy Nails is definitely a place for just your basics. I showed the owner a couple colors, but they didn't have it. They also don't have gold flakes or specialize in designs like jade/marble etc...mostly just for your basic nail colors and line designs (as you can see in the photo gallery the repetition of line designs). Their prices are relatively affordable. They prefer cash so just make sure you go to the bank/ATM beforehand. read more

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They were amazing! I called in advance on Monday for a midday appointment on Wednesday for a gel manicure and some design. They were all really welcoming, and the nails turned out to good! The technician was so proud of them too :) I'm definitely coming back. Price was okay - 35 for gel mani plus 15 for my design - and the space is kind of small, but the hospitality and work speaks for itself. Also the neck and shoulder massage at the end! Chefs kiss. Note it's cash only read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Spooky season design :) - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

So happy with my nails! Called on a Monday morning and Kim was able to squeeze me in for the afternoon. I wanted gel extension with design. I didn't want the extensions too long so I asked her to cut them, and she let me pick how short I wanted them and fit them accordingly. After that, I showed her the design I wanted and she nailed it! my nails came out to be $75. One thing to note, MAKE SURE YOU BRING CASH!! They take zelle but I think there might be an upcharge (not sure why but it is what it is). Not 100% sure if they take card. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Gel extension $75 - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I've gotten Gel-X multiple times, and every time has been amazing. My nails are still healthy, and the designs end up looking exactly like my inspo photos! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - love these nails! - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Great service and quality, went in for a mani and pedi, clean but small, vey efficient and friendly and a wonderful massage as part of the service. read more

I was grateful that Galaxy was able to take me & my friend on the day of, but that's pretty much all I liked about this place. I feel bad because one of the nail ladies was soooo cute & nice, but unfortunately my friend & I got two really RUDE ladies. Both were soooo rushed & did not communicate well. My lady was so rushed, she only wanted to do one layer of color on my hand! It wasn't until I ASKED her to do more layers did she seem annoyed & this other (very nice) lady took over. I also understand the language barrier, but I couldn't understand her when she told me to put my hand on top of the gel machine rather than inside. She had to raise her voice. I was sooo stressed out the entire time, since everyone in the store was visibly rushed. Our appointment was at 6, and they were super rushing at 630, when they close at 7. The actual manicure, anxiety aside, was also not very good. I ended up with the Cinderella looking baby blue. Not the blue I wanted, I wanted something a little lighter, but I kinda just convinced myself this color is okay bcus I didn't want to bother explaining to the rushed lady that this color isn't what I want. And the glitter isn't what I asked for, and when I asked for the one I did see on display, the lady couldn't find it? Not sure if she really looked though. Also you can see on my index finger that the woman rushed, the gel is over my cuticle! Anyway, I really don't recommend coming here! It's cheap, sure. But service and execution was just soooo bad. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Rushed gel manicure - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Went to this place because it was close by my work and was not disappointed! It was fairly easy to find parking, relatively normal pricing (probably low for Rockridge) and the technicians seemed very sweet. My technician (I forgot her name, I'm horrible with names) did a wonderful job and checked in with me a bunch. Only one star taken for the severe lack of space to move around in there. I felt like I had to bumble over people to get to the pedi chair and interrupt other technicians so that I could shimmy my way over. Just a really awkward setup. I imagine if it's just 1 or 2 people in there, it's not a big deal- but they were pretty full up. read more

Kim is absolutely phenomenal! I called early this morning to see if she could fit me in for some gel x nail extensions. Thankfully Kim had availability. I had already been following her instagram and fell in love with her nail art! Kim is so sweet and meticulous. I saw how thorough she was when working on my nails and she gave very honest opinions regarding some of my color choices which I appreciate. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience with Kim and will definitely come back! Also her prices are very reasonable and she worked on my nails for over an hour ($70 with design). read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

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I called in on a Tuesday early evening, and they were able to take me in! Mask are worn and customers are placed in every other chair or with a curtain in between them. Everyone was really sweet and attentive to detail. I wanted to try something new, but it was difficult for me to choose colors and the woman who did my nails was super patient with me. I LOVED MY NAILS, like look at them!!! They also don't do acrylic, it is called gel x extensions which is basically acrylics, but all made out of gel! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Gel extensions $60 - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

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I give this place a 3 because I've went there 3 times now. The first 2 times were for GelX Nails. She does a wonderful job every time. However on June 2nd I decided to add my feet into the equation. She did an awful job. I had so much dead skin still on my feet that it weren't even funny! (Sorry I couldn't get any good pictures of the heels of my feet) But take my word for it, it was horrible! And as always the owner did a great job on my GelX Nails. I gave her a $20 tip. That's how you get fat tips from me! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - My crusty toe - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I was able to get a walk in here on a weekend which was great! I sat down for a gel nail manicure and was able to ask for a design as well. I think though, they overbooked for the day, as I sat there for a while, and a few manicurists rotated through me and prepped my nails. Finally, I think it was the owner, someone sat down and began painting my nails. It was clear she had a cold, as she kept coughing and left the station periodically to go outside and cough. When she left, I got an aggressive single-shoulder massage from one of the other nail techs there. Good news: left with beautiful nails that lasted 4 weeks! Bad news: also left with a cold that lasted 4 days :( read more

Have been a patron of Galaxy Nail Salon for many years so long over due in singing their praise. They're always kind and take great care of my hands and feet, which I use a lot for work. I'm not a polish kind of gal but need more attention to calluses, etc, which they are great with. They also spend a little time massaging my sore feet and hands which sends me off very relaxed. Such a wonderful group of professionals. Do please support them if you're inclined! read more

I wrote this review 9 years ago, and at that time, I had been going to Galaxy Nails for 11 years. So, now we are close to 20! I went back in the day when Stacy owned it. A while ago, Kim took over the Salon (she was a nail tech who worked for Stacy) and Kim and her team are the best. My family is dedicated to Galaxy Nails for our nail care and look forward to supporting them every month. Whenever you go here, they make you feel like VIP. I walk away feeling so pampered, and with cute nails! They take their time and never rush you, like other places do. They give the best and longest massages. When I've gone to other salons (whether out of town or a friend asked me to join them) I'm always disappointed in the length of the massages. I think it's because Galaxy has really spoiled me! Kim and Jessica are so talented. My gel nails always last a long time. And they always ask your opinion, several times, throughout the mani or pedi to make sure you are happy with the nail shape and color. They are service oriented and extremely experienced. They are so friendly and really value their customers. You can tell that everyone in there is a regular and dedicated to supporting them. They are also very responsibly priced. I've gone a few times during covid and I feel very safe in there. I have also bought gift cards during covid to use, at a much later time, to keep supporting them while business is down. This is such a great business to support and I highly recommend Galaxy for your nail care needs! *i think they still prefer cash over credit, but it's worth asking! We always pay in cash because back in the day, they didn't take credit at all. read more

Mim does THE BEST job at making a french manicure look uniform and polished. She spends extra time making sure it looks natural and fits your nail well. Manicures all get a shoulder and neck massage. Pedicures are great as well. Definitely worth the visit as they do a great job. read more

I had a wonderful experience at this nail salon! I drove by and decided to check this establishment out. I enjoyed my pampering time with them. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

This is my go-to nail spot! Prices are reasonable and the team always does a great job on my nails, whether it's regular polish, gel, or gel-x. The cherry on top: they will give 10 minute massages that are so relaxing! read more

I don't always get my nails done but when I do Galaxy Nails is the only place I go! Always the best for designs and gel x

Amazing experience! If I could rate this more than 5 stars, I would. I love the way my nails look. They did a great job. They were also very gentle with my hands and were very polite. After they finished my nails, they gave my hands, shoulder, and neck a massage free of charge! All this for $65 (not including tip)! Loved it! Highly recommend. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Gel extensions, cat eye! - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I had such a wonderful experience at Galaxy Nail Salon today. I'm visiting my sister from Denver, and I wish this place existed near me. The technicians here are so kind and very skilled. I did a spa mani/pedi- regular polish. Price was right and they did a stellar job. I asked for some fun, spooky details on a nail and they obliged. Thank you for such a wonderful experience! I'll be back on my next visit! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

My go-to spot for a regular pedicure. I always call ahead to see if they're available and can usually sneak in easily on a weekday lunch hour (perk of working from home). Well staffed, kind service, and always masked. Great massages. I usually cut my nails first bc I like them extra short, but that's individual style and most salons I know are conservative with cutting nails down low. Cash only isn't my favorite as a millennial but there are 3 banks within a block of the place so it's hard to complain. read more

This was the worst experience I've had at any nail salon. I went in for a gel pedicure and I asked if I can get acrylic on my toes and the lady said no, that my nail was fine and then another lady started telling me that I shouldn't do it and since I already had been waiting for 20 minutes to get a pedicure I simply asked for a basic pedicure. Both ladies started speaking in their language and it was obvious that they were talking about me and the entire experience was uncomfortable. If someone is paying for a service why be upset because you don't want to do it. read more

**they are COVID conscious & wear masks -- they also appreciate if you do too, it's a very small space as it is so let's protect our service workers!!** So excited to find my new regular salon! After moving from SJ, I was having trouble finding any in the Berkeley area that wasn't gentrified or way overpriced. Coming here made me feel like home -- all the aunties were so kind & talkative! I got gel x done for the first time & I love it! $55 is the base price (+$5 for design on 1 nail, +$15 for designs on all nails). I can tell that my nails won't be as damaged from this set than regular acrylic. For my first timers, you'll definitely be spending a lot of time under the UV lamp so expect some hotness & maybe invest in a UV protection glove bc I feel like my hands got a little damaged :( this isn't their fault at all tho, I think my hands are just sensitive Kim did a really good job on my set & was helpful when I couldn't decide on colors. After she finished, she gave me a small shoulder massage (I was not expecting it & it wasn't great haha but I appreciated it). My only complaint is that the undersides of my nails are a little thick from the gel, but I don't have to look at it often so it's not a huge deal! They do accept card/Zelle, but prefer cash (you might get a small discount by using cash) -- there's atms across the street! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Gel X by Kim ($70) - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

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Where do I begin? My nails are the prettiest they've ever been! On a whim, I called galaxy nails to see if they had any openings and they did. I am a licensed cosmetologist and spend my life serving other people, so it was a special treat to come in here. Not only were they fast, friendly, and sanitary, my nails are perfect! Cuticles trimmed perfectly with no sore spots and my polish goes right up to the edge of my cuticle so my polish will last a long time. They were sweet and affordable, plus the vibe was nice! I will be back. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

First time at the galaxy nail salon after reading so many positive reviews and I see why the ratings are so high!!! Kim did a wonderful job on my nails from making sure it was the colors I wanted based on the inspo photo I brought in to my nail length. Thank you Kim I look forward to coming back!! read more

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Great service and excellent work. They take unexpected walk ins and are very attentive to manicure maintenance and also foot massage! Yay

I found "Jessica" at Glamour Nails in Lafayette! She goes by Holly there. Parking is easier and the neighborhood is much safer. Plus the salon has much more space than the old one. read more

Came here last minute before my wedding day and it was the best decision ever!! Look at how beautiful it came out!!! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! Kim is an ARTIST with Gel Nail Extensions which I have to say, are so much better and last way longer than acrylics. Also they're not nearly as brittle so they don't break as easy and they look so natural! I'm absolutely hooked. I always leave this place feeling taken care of and my expectations are always far exceeded with the quality of nails I get from them. Not to mention they're super affordable which is just the cherry on top of an already sweet sundae. Thank you Kim and the team at Galaxy Nails!! You've got a customer for LIFE read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - GEL EXTENSIONS!! So much better than acrylics - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

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I don't think I've ever had gel manicures last so long. And I got a gel extension once which also lasted forever. It's a small, sometimes cramped salon, but that's not an issue. The ladies there are super nice. There are curtains between each pedicure station for when it gets busy. They use liners as well. Kim is the only one that does gel-x and designs so book an appointment. Walk ins are typically available otherwise. No acrylics at this salon. They've been helping me get my nails a lot healthier and stronger. Street parking is easy to find. read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - 2.5 weeks after. - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I love the job Kim did on my gel extensions! She did the design and color exactly the way I wanted! And my nails look super natural and thin! They take Zelle and Venmo too read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Kim design gel extenions - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Kim is nothing but a waste of time!! Made an appointment with her and I got there sat down and after she had another lady take off part of my polish said she couldn't take me, this is after I called her a few hours prior and she asked me 2 times on the phone, so she is a liar as well! Says she just does long nails, you did my nails with gel 2 weeks ago, she probably thought I'd let whoever do my nails, sorry NO. Then says she didn't remember me, girl bye! Maybe she will lose clients with her ways, hope so. Her shop is a tacky hole in the wall with no room anyway. Honestly I've never experienced such unprofessional behavior from a nail salon. After the past 2 years she should be happy to still be in business and show more respect to her clients!! She had a horrible attitude the entire time I was there and looked miserable, that in itself was satisfying, just a wretched woman! read more

Galaxy Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California