A couple of months ago, my friend, who is a massage therapist, took a workshop on Thai massage…read more Luckily, she wanted to test out her techniques on someone, and luckily, I happened to be nearby. Holy cow. My muscles didn't know what hit them. After that brief introduction to Thai massage, I decided I wanted to try out the real deal. So my search led me to Yelp, which led me to Mark Bonus. First of all, his name. How cool is his name? When you meet him in real life, you immediately begin to question your lifestyle and wonder how can you become more like Mark. He is zen. He is peaceful. He is calm. I adore his aura. Then, there is the massage. It's soothing and therapeutic. I felt like a giant blob that Mark was molding and putting back together. I never want to get up from the mat after he is done. So, the first time I visited, I opted for the 60 minute Thai massage. It is not enough time. On my subsequent trips, I've booked 90 minute sessions, which gives him more time to focus on my problem areas. I believe most Thai massage therapists generally recommend at least 90 minutes, so keep that in mind if you decide to book, which I highly, highly, suggest you do. Your body will thank you.

First, I get regular massages (try for every other month or more) and I get regular body work so I…read morecan tell a good one from a bad one. Second, get the thai to table massage for 2 hours. Its the best of both worlds and it was incredible. Third, $1/minute is incredibly reasonable and I would have paid more than that for this massage. Now onto the review... To call Bonus a magician would be to insult his knowledge, body awareness intelligence, touch, and craft that he clearly has mastered. Its been 2 weeks since my massage and I'm tempted to get on a plane back to Austin just so that I can see him. I spent 2.5 hours with this man and not only did I love his home, love the sacred space he created for massage, and have a great time getting to know him, I left knowing more about my body. I also left walking straighter and taller than ever before. He's incredibly attentive to parts of your body that are tight, for me it was my hips. Which he stretched and massaged in every which way and they felt better for days. This wasn't just a massage, it was a lesson in body mechanics. I learned about pain/tightness usually occurring on diagonals (sore left shoulder, tight right hip, etc.). He massaged the front part of my shoulder, my pecs, which most people forget/don't work on. Most of us spend our life hunched forward in some way - at a computer, hunched back, etc., so its incredibly important to massage a muscle and joint from the front and back. I kinda knew this, but Bonus cemented it. He also taught me a killer massage for the front of my hip flexors, which almost made me want to puke, but I felt like I got new hips. There's nothing to think about. This man is amazing, so go get a massage from him. Oh and sassy miss waxy, his lovely partner, is pretty rad too so take care of that if you need. Hopefully I'll be back in Austin soon or I'll clone Bonus and bring him to SF. Side note: I'm not sure if anyone reading this is nervous about a male masseuse, but let me assure you, you have nothing to worry about. First, Bonus is just a good, kind gentle soul and you see that the minute you meet him. 2, Sassy Miss Waxy and he run their business out of their home and it rocks. And 3, if you're uncomfortable, get a thai massage where you can wear yoga clothes and it will be incredible.

Repeat client here. I'm happy to have found "Magic Hands!" I like to call Elliot "magic hands." He…read morehas the ability to make my shoulders of steel turn into putty. When I hop onto the table. I feel like my tense shoulders sit directly under my ears. Fortunately, after my massage. I can feel that my shoulders have dropped. A nice treat after the massage was a piece of chocolate and a written note of positivity. Book now. You'll thank me. You're welcome. Enjoy serenity.

Elliot provided a great massage. I get very tight and able to really get in and work out kinks and…read moretightness. I like medium to firm and he really provided great without killing. The hot towels were also nice.

Best massage spot in Austin hands down…read more Professional service, clean atmosphere, and natural quality products. 10/10 would recommend.

Aimee is a skillful masseuse. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has decades of experience that…read moreinform her techniques. In an hour long massage, she may incorporate Gua Sha, cupping, and other modalities that detoxify the body. She can treat various issues thoroughly over time, and can also provide relief to immediate pain. I have had such positive experience with Aimee, as evidenced by the pain-relief I have felt! Go see Aimee if you want to invest in your health.

Easy - the one word that comes to mind. And how a massage should feel…read more First, easy to schedule online. Then, easy to find and easy street parking in the neighborhood. When you get upstairs, such an easy-going, clean and relaxing environment, without the stress of hearing conversations in massage rooms next door or waiting in the room looking up each time a massage therapist walks out. It's one-on-one in his apartment and it's setup very comfortably. Now let's talk about Christopher - the nicest person you'll ever meet and you just want to be friends and hang out all the time. He's very adaptive to whether you want a quiet time to catch up on a nap, which I did last time, or a conversation about speakeasies that distracts from some of the pain of releasing tight muscles. Before he starts, he's a good listener and asks insightful questions to provide maximum relief. Once you're on the table, he's also very perceptive to what areas need more attention. He's kind, effective and truly cares to make sure his client has had a productive massage session. He doesn't rush you out but rather spends a few minutes on feedback to make sure you feel good. So easily a five-star experience!

Finally a true master of their trade! I have been searching for an amazing massage therapist for…read moreover a year all around Austin. I am a bit of a massage snob but honestly it's bananas to me that I couldn't seem to find anyone in the entire Austin area that seemed to know what they were doing- and I tried them all. Spas , private practice, sport masseuse physical therapy massage therapist you name it. Enter Chris. He knows the anatomy of your body so he is a true healer. I can't stress how important it is for a massage therapist to know anatomy. My tendinitis and tennis elbow always flares up throughout the year. I've had to go to acupuncture in the past but Chris has changed that! Now I just have to see him for a few sessions and it's gone! It's amazing. When I told Chris of my struggles with finding someone good he explained to me that in Texas massage therapist / masseuse only have to get HALF of the amount of hours needed to get licensed that people in New York need! Which explains a lot ! His setup is in his apartment ( which is common in NYC so it didn't bother me ) but for anyone wondering if that's sketch- it's not ! It just allows his pricing to stay competitive. Honestly - you will not be disappointed with a massage from Chris. The best of the best of the best. 100000000000 stars !!!

It is so hard to move to a new place and find a massage therapist you trust when you've had years…read moreof prior damage. I found Stephen through a friend who was already seeing him; I was skeptical, because our needs were very different (she needs considerable force whereas I can barely handle light pressure) but Stephen adjusted his style to my needs immediately. I originally saw him for neck/back pain from an old injury, but he's since helped with strain caused by a recent knee injury, tension in my wrists from starting a new desk job, headaches from all of the above....I'm not sure there's an issue he's unprepared for. After missing my regular session when I was traveling over the holidays, I could feel the difference in my pain levels, tension, and stress responses. I cannot recommend him enough and appreciate that he's willing to do a slightly lower rate for people who need more frequent services. Go see him & start feeling better!

Stephen is a talented massage therapist. He offers effective suggestions on breathing and…read morerelaxation, and encourages communication and immediate feedback so he can modify his approach if necessary. All of this occurs in a peaceful studio environment. I wonder why I waited so long to make massage part of my routine.

Park adjacent to Mattress store. It's the building beside it…read morewhere a dark staircase goes to the second floor. Once you're inside it's the door to the right. I had Jay for a back and neck massage. I have an extremely sore neck, the pain has been awful. I allowed deep pressure, which hurts a bit, but really loosens things up. I may not have been completely relaxed lol since this is a massage with strong pressure but what he did was miraculous. Within 45min I felt SO much better. I'll need a few more sessions but I'm so impressed with the fact he really knows what points to press and stretch to alleviate the situation. The entire day I even feel taller lol!

Okay so I needed a massage because the month of September was really rough. I went here a few weeks…read moreago because they had affordable massage prices. I came in and was greeted by the massage therapist. She was so nice and made sure I was comfortable. I also felt that the clinic was decorated in a very serene/zen feel which was a nice touch. I like that this place seems to be owned locally. I will definitely come here again just because they were so nice and I enjoyed my massage!

Massage is a misnomer. Erik is a healer and I stumbled upon him at a pivotal time. After 1 session,…read moreperspectives changed, weight lifted, something unlocked. Session 2 kept the same momentum and I've never experienced anything like it. Could not recommend more highly, and am leaning into whatever unfolds.

Erik is a skilled practitioner, whose hands seem to possess an innate understanding of the human…read morebody. He is warm, welcoming, and enjoys the challenge of releasing tough to work points in the body. His storytelling was also distracting enough to allow my body to cooperate with otherwise inaccessible ranges. Walked away from the session with greatly improved range of motion and a set of tips on how to keep up with the work done at home. Greatly appreciate Erik's thoroughness, and will definitely be back for more!

Ben did such an amazing job listening to my concerns, checking in throughout the massage and taking…read moresuggestions on areas of concern. I went in for neck pain, unable to turn my head one direction and by the end of the massage I was fully mobile and back to normal! Highly recommend!!

I scheduled a surprise session for my husband for his birthday today. The ambience was felt as soon…read moreas we stepped through the door. Customer service was great, and my husband loved his session so much, he scheduled one for me. I think that says enough. Definitely recommended.