I love this little nail shop just tucked away off the 101 in Encinitas on 2nd Street just west of the Potato Shack. It is a family operation and you will immediately feel welcomed when you walk in the door. I had a most extraordinary manicure with Loc today. He took so much time with me (over an hour) and is probably the most meticulous nail artist I have ever experienced. He really takes pride in his work and is a perfectionist. If you want to get in with him book ahead- he is busy for obvious reasons! Rest assured, the other nail artists are excellent too! Some of the Perks of Legend Nails: Clean and nicely decorated shop Candy for clients Top of the line massage chairs Quality color selection; all the latest in OPI Gel nails (like Shellac) only $30/set (what a deal!) Long massages Nice magazine selection (smut and more!) Excellent value and service Friendly and gracious customer care Love all this place offers- and look forward to going! Check it out- you'll be happy you did! read more

7/21/11 I'm editing to change my review--the salon called me when they found out I wasn't happy with my gel manicure and offered to redo it for free, explaining that perhaps I had oilier nails or hand lotion on my nails or maybe a step wasn't done properly; that it should have lasted longer. So I went back a week ago and this time, the gel manicure rocks! It's still chip free, 7 days later, and looks amazing. It seems a little thicker this time around than the first try, and my nails seem stronger and less flexible, which may have helped kept them from peeling. THANKS ROSA! I also had a second pedicure and it was the same great experience and still looks great, a week later. Great customer service. 6/30/11 I give my pedicure 4+ stars, my gel manicure 1 star. The manicure looked amazing and seemed like it would be a solution for me. The pedicure is still going strong, but my gel manicure started to pop and peel away on day 2! I have one nail that tends to flex more than the others, so I give them a pass for that nail, but when several other nails started to peel at the tips on days 3 and 4...I had them all peeled off by day 5. I can understand the index and thumb nails chipping maybe more than other nails as they get the most abuse, but minor bumping caused lifting and peeling on all the other nails. Very nice staff, very loyal customer following based on what I saw. Considering the location and price, the salon could use a face lift and tidying up (like removing Christmas cards plastered to the mirrors still up in June). read more

This small salon is one of the friendliest nail salons around. The mother and son team are awesome and truly take pride in their work. The spa chairs are new and give the best chair-massages that I have had and they are clean. You never feel rushed here or frightened when sharp objects are used on your toes. The family owns two little dogs that are so cute and usually hang out behind a screen and are brought out on call when asked for. Kids love them and keep them entertained when you are getting your nails done. Prices are also very reasonable. read more

I was looking for a nail salon to take my bridesmaids to have our nails done together before my wedding. After reading the great reviews, I stopped in at Legend Nails to ask some questions about their services. I was immediately blown away by the gracious individuals that greeted me when I walked in. Loc, the gentleman owner, was so helpful and happy to share with me all of the services they could offer my group. He also said they would be happy to reserve the salon just for our group so we could enjoy the day together with specialty drinks and appetizers. Needless to say, I made the appointment on the spot. Last Friday was our appointment and Legend Nails certainly lived up to their first impression Loc and the ladies in the salon were so friendly and excited for us to be there. They cleared a space for our appetizers I had prepared and chilled our champagne in their refrigerator. My three year-old niece joined us for the morning as well and the owner made her feel like a little princess while she had her polish done. She even picked out the perfect "purple, sparkly" color my niece requested. It couldn't have been more perfect. Even aside from the wonderful atmosphere and friendly service, the finished product was impressive. Loc did my gel manicure (I have never had gels before) and they are perfect. Actually, they STILL look perfect. My pedicure in the spa chair was amazingly soothing and I had the best foot massage of my life. All of my friends were beyond thrilled with their nails as well. I think we are all converts and will be heading back to Legend Nails long before the next wedding :) Thank you to Loc and everyone at Legend Nails for creating such a warm environment and making that day so special for all of us! I will most certainly be back (if these gels ever need to be redone... they're THAT good!). read more

Peaceful, great service, comfy chairs, great mani-pedi prices.. need I say more? ok I will... Nice staff Clean Place Great Selection of colors, treatments and styles Good Air quality! No acetone and nail dust smell! read more

My good friend looked up Legend on Yelp and found that they had awesome reviews! I had a pedicure from Ki... she was awesome! My toes look great and I am an athlete and consider my feet HOOFY at some times and she did a great job making them look great! Loc did my nails... I also have man hands.... he did SUCH an amazing job. He even gave me a VERY good suggestion on using color since my nails were so brittle from a full set I had the previous month! I am now an insta-fan!!! So excited to go back!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!! read more

I was really frustrated with the nail salons I had been going to in Encinitas. All of them were overpriced or not so nice. So I went to Yelp in hopes of finding a nail salon to call home and came across Legend Nails. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by the staff like I was a good friend. I sat down in a massage chair for my spa pedicure. The woman that did my toes was extremely friendly and didn't try and strike up an unwanted conversation while I was reading my tabs (tabloids). The foot/leg massage is always my favorite part but always ends too soon. Not here. She spent quite a bit of time making sure I was pleased. I was so pleased that I decided to get a manicure as well, which I never do. Bartenders manicures last one busy night. Fairly priced, you get what you pay for and more. Extremely friendly staff. I left there feeling like family. read more

I love this place. After getting the longest lasting manicure of my life there, I've been back several times with the same results. The people there are really nice, especially the owner and her son. This definitely isn't a high-end nail spa, but the reasonable prices reflect that as well (though they recently went up). Its $12 for a manicure and $23 for a spa pedi... or $34 for both. They also canceled their free birthday manicure deal, but have a buy 9 get 1 free card, so that's pretty cool. The color selection is satisfying. When you go, be sure to head to Darshan Bakery across the street to complete your pampering session. read more

I'm so glad I listened (yet again) to my fellow Yelpers. I decided that I wanted to try the soak off gel manicure; their website says to call and make an appointment for this service so I called Friday for an appointment on Monday (today). My Mom will be in town tomorrow and we'll be going wedding dress shopping so my usual home-made mani/pedi didn't seem appropriate. Plus it had been at least a good 8 or more months since my last mani/pedi so it was beyond needed! I had no problem finding the place and found street parking right across the way. Note to self - don't park under those nice shady trees unless you want bird poop smatterings to greet you later. Bring on the rain! I walked in and was greeted with the usual "Pick a color" but I told them I had my own with me. I didn't have to wait long before they seated me in the spa pedicure chair. I'm not sure of the girl who did my toes - she didn't speak a word - which on one hand I was thinking that it was odd but then again I suck and dislike small talk and had brought a book with so I just sat and read and enjoyed. Khai did my nails and I'm really impressed with how they look. She told me that when I call next time I just need to tell them that I need a gel top up or something like that. They use a whole special set of gel nail polish and there's a lot of 'baking' them in the little hand light-tube thing. Note to self: put sunblock on my hands next time before the appointment! I had the french done which is an extra $5 - but it seems like either way it's a fairly tedious process. It appealed to me because it's supposed to last 3 or so weeks without chipping and I use my hands in so much stuff that I really need something that can stand up to my challenge without resorting to acrylic nails or an actual full gel set. I know in the past I've had manicurists put a gel coat on top of a regular mani so I wasn't sure how this was different but each coat of everything they put on is a gel. Interesting! Khai said that she usually does two or three 'top ups' and then she removes all the gel and does a regular manicure so that the nails can have a break and 'breathe.' I appreciated her telling me this since I'm new to it. I'll obviously be waiting and seeing how they hold up before deciding where to go next but it's great to know she takes the time to assess her client's nails before simply just starting the process. I also like that the place is small and family run versus your typical 'nail farm' that seem to be everywhere these days. I definitely recommend however calling and making an appointment because it is so small and not super walk-in friendly without a wait. There were three people working there today and probably not room for more than a couple others. I definitely plan to be back! read more

I just moved from Pacific Beach to Carlsbad and needed a new salon to go to. I've tried two in the Carlsbad area and wasn't very impressed. I work in Del Mar and found Legend Nails through Yelp, and because of their reviews I figured I would stop by. I'm so happy I did! At first it took me a while to find the salon because it looks like it's in a residential area- this is literally a small hole in the wall salon and it is easy to miss. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. There are only about 4 or 5 pedicure chairs (I can't really remember) and 4 nail stations so even though I didn't make an appointment I would recommend calling. Great OPI color choices! Also, I am never bothered by being in salons where the technicians speak their native language instead of English, but I didn't realize how nice it was to have all of the nail techs speak English! I could have conversation more easily and also felt more confident that I could communicate what I wanted for my nails. Overall a great experience and I would recommend this place to anyone in the area! read more

I came here a year ago looking for a local nail salon to frequent since moving from Oceanside. I searched yelp and this place had excellent reviews. The salon is very tiny with only a few chairs and they recommend appts. I tried it out and Loc did a mani/pedi on me. He was super nice and did an amazing job. The polish lasted for so long! They do awesome work here and are so nice to me everytime I come in. My favorite place to come when I need a good mani/pedi. Worth checking out. read more

I've been searching for a new nail salon since moving and came across Legend on Yelp, what a find! This mother/son team are so nice and personable as others have mentioned and their prices are VERY reasonable. Their decor is a little dated, but I'm sure that's how they are able to keep their costs down and prices low. The owner mentioned she hasn't raised prices once in the 4 1/2 years they've been there. The son does great nail art if you are interested. I'm a bit on the conservative side and tend to stick to french pedicures sans flowers! I'll definitely plan on returning for another spa manicure/pedicure in the future! read more

I typed in "nail salon" on Yelp and found that Legend had quite a few positive comments so I decided to give it a try. I was looking for a place that would be relaxing and friendly. I initially had a pedicure with Kai and it was great. I went back a few days later and had my nails done by Loc. Both Kai and Loc remembered my name although I had only been there once. Nails (gel) took longer than I expected, but they look fabulous! Loc is very meticulous and takes pride in his work. As mentioned by others, they are very customer oriented - while I was sitting getting my nails done, Kai walked by and massaged my upper back for a minute or so! They are all soft spoken, quiet music in the background - just what I was looking for! read more

I type this with freshly done nails. This family-run salon was by far my best nail salon experience ever. I got a pedi followed by a full set for my wedding. The pedi looks great and was, like everyone else says, a good massage. Now, on to my full set from Loc: perfect. Loc was so precise and attentive I might as well have had my nails done by Michelangelo himself. I shall be back. read more

Great place. I go out of my way to get my nails done here. Very clean and the owner/staff are super friendly. They do a nice job and are always able to fit me in. read more

I love them! Everyone that works at Legend pays so much attention to detail. My nails always looks awesome and they last forever (I get gel usually). It was so hard for me to find a quality nail salon at a reasonable price. Highly recommended :) read more

I found this place on yelp and tried it because of it's reviews. I thought it was good, but not great. I got a pedi and had acrylic nails put on. I thought the pedi was good, but I wasn't really happy with the acrylics. This was a first time for me and I thought that they were pretty thick and not too realistic looking. I know acrylics don't always look real, but these looked even less real then normal. I also noticed that they fell, pealed off fairly quickly (although to be fair I work with my hands, so that could just be normal wear and tear). I don't think I will do the acrylics again, but I may go back for a pedi in the future. read more

I am SO glad I found Legend Nails! By far the best gel manicures I've gotten. The entire staff at Legend Nails is not only super friendly, but their work is meticulous. I have been getting gel manicures for years and this is the first place I've been to where the gel polish easily comes off my nails and doesn't look like it's damaging them. They also have a wide variety of OPI colors and always seem to have the latest and greatest. I will be a loyal customer of Legend Nails for years to come! My only regret is I didn't find this place sooner! read more

Our old nail salon started getting too busy and rushed, so my mom and I were looking for a new salon to try. A friend of ours recommended Legend Nails and we are SO happy she did. We've been coming here for a few months now, and it has been such a wonderful change! They really make the extra effort to ensure their work is excellent, and they always have new polish colors for the season! read more

I absolutely love coming to Legend Nails. It's a nice family owned salon, which I will gladly support. I've been coming here for about a year now and I've always been satisfied with their pedicures. I can call in for a same day appointment, their color selection is great, and the staff is friendly and always does a thorough job. They gladly take any of my requests since I"m very particular, and generally don't charge me extra when I'm feeling extra high-maintenance. I think for the price, it's a few dollars more than most nail salons, but then again, the quality is also much higher and still less than what I'm used to paying in Washington DC. The only bad thing I can say about this salon is that there is only street parking, which is to be expected since it's on the 101, but I can't fault them for that. read more

Love this little gem! Rosa did my mani and I think maybe the owner did my pedi. They did a perfect job. I always want to come here but it's always packed! (Clearly a good sign). I got here right when they opened and they took me right away. read more

I recenlty moved to the area and I've been here twice for a French manicure. Both times I have been very pleased, My nails look awesome and the price is great $15 for a French Manicure! I was paying $30 at my previous nail salon. Friendly customer service, they remember you and treat you like family. Highly recommended. read more

I found this place on here and went for it. It was nice and clean but just two days later my polish is chipping :( BUMMER! I may or may not go back. read more

Got right in, clean, friendly, nice staff. Lots of locals, so must be good place! Just had a pedicure & polish, fell asleep in the chair! Small saloon, however, efficient & plenty of staff! read more

Legend Nails - So pretty! Beach ready! - Nail Salons Near Me - Encinitas, California

Wonderful salon in Encinitas! The whole family takes care of you and they are very sweet. They don't have many gel colors to choose from, but the technicians do such a good job, the gels last a long time. It's a very small salon so make an appointment..and it is a little pricey, but worth it! read more

Legend Nails - Loving my nails! - Nail Salons Near Me - Encinitas, California

Walked in after finding the place on yelp, immediately realized it was the type of salon that typically you need to make a reservation for (everyone who walked in after me had one) They were friendly and fit me in anyways which I really appreciated! My nails lasted about 4 days which is 2 days longer than most (i'm pretty rough on them) so I was pleasantly surprised. The quick dry topcoat actually made the nails solid enough after just a few minutes so that i didn't mess them up on my entry back into my car (pretty typical for me) The salon is small, just a couple of nail and pedicure stations each. The prices were medium/average. I would recommend making a reservation :) read more

This is such a great family owned nail salon and I'm so excited for them to open back up in a few days. It is largely no frills as far as massages, but the friendly service and attention to detail is well worth it. My gel manicures consistently last 3+ weeks and the customer service is amazing. Highly highly recommend. read more

Disclaimer: I don't get fancy manicures, just color and topcoat, so I'm not an expert on techniques. When I get a manicure/pedicure, I'm basically looking for a good quality result and cordial friendly service at a reasonable price. This place is exactly that for me. I've gone to a different person every time, and each has been really nice. Friendly without being artificial, conversational but also allowing me to read. The quality of the manicure/pedicure is great (good color choices, attention to detail, quality result and long-lasting). On top of that, the people are all really nice, and that makes a huge difference. (You even see a bulletin board filled with holiday cards from people who are regulars, now that's the spirit of a local business.) That's more important to me than a fancy place. This place isn't uber-spa like, and I don't need that. Most importantly it feels clean, does quality work and is run by great people. PS - I've always called the day of, and since I don't mind who I get, I've always been able to get an appointment. It is good to call ahead so that they can tell you the best time to come and minimize or avoid a wait. read more

Great! I finally found a nail salon that is polite clean and not rushed! Did a fabulous job-- no nail polish on cuticles-- did a wonderful callous removing job and all around nice experience. Very small family owned and worked shop. The chairs were the best I have ever had and I've been everywhere. They were actually cushy and not all worn out! This seems to be the kind of place where it's best to have an appointment. I waited zero minutes. Yippeee! read more

The service was great, the staff was soft spoken, polite and professional. I received a great pedicure at a great price! Also, the massage chairs they have you sit in give a very thorough and intense massage-just what i wanted! Definitely will be coming back here on a regular basis! read more

Love how professional and friendly this salon is, it's also VERY WELL VENTILATED which is so important to me. Loc did another amazing job on my nails today. I definitely recommend you try them out. read more

Legend Nails - Hard gel with opi gel polish over my natural nail, no artificial tip. - Nail Salons Near Me - Encinitas, California

I just moved to Encinitas and I've tried 5 other nails salons and I think Legend Nails is the best. It is family owned and all the employees are so friendly. Best of all they do a great job! They do take walk-ins but be sure to make an appointment because they seem to be busy all the time. Which is probably a good sign :) read more

Love this place! Best nail salon experience I had so far! My nails look great. The girls were awesome,so nice! I'll definitely be back! read more

Legend Nails - So happy with this - Nail Salons Near Me - Encinitas, California

It is tough finding a great nail salon. Well, I am happy to have found Legend Nails. Kai and staff are kind and attentive. I needed a spa pedicure BADLY and I was completely satisfied and relaxed afterwards. Loved it and I coming back! read more

BEST nail place in Encinitas! Cozy and intimate nail salon, with VIP treatment. They always have clean/brand new tools, and they spend quality time to ensure your service is done to perfection. Every experience of mine has been incredibly relaxing! This is not your typical walk-in/chain nail salon, so appointments are encouraged. Love Legend!! read more

My go to place for gel mani and pedi. I appreciate each one of the technicians and have never had a complaint. I think they have all done my nails or toes at some point. read more

Terrible service and scheduling as I couldn't be more frustrated with a place. I tried To go to multiple people and they couldn't get the person or the service right. read more

I have been coming to Ledgend nails for over 20 years. This is a sweet family owned and run business. And they do amazing nails! My pedicures last for 6 weeks, their gel nails are honestly the best. I live in Vista and I drive to Encinitas just to have my nails done here. I highly suggest you make an appointment especially during the summer and holiday times. All of the nail techs are really good too. Highly recommend! read more

I am writing this review purely from a hygiene point of view. I've been here a few times. Staff is friendly and greets you when you come in making you feel welcome. It's a small space and works well. Been happy with pedicure work. Here's the rub. I do believe they have the sanitizing enclave. BUT not sure how often it's used. Additionally, after my pedi the other day, she began the next pedi without so much as wiping down the tub. ummmmmm, gross. And I'm thinking health code violation. read more

I love, love, love this place. I stopped by last Friday for the first time to get a mani and pedicure. I read the other reviews and was really excited to check it out, as I have been looking for a great place to get my nails done that is near my house. The ladies were super sweet and made me feel comfortable right away. They also did an excellent job on my hands and feet. The salon is clean and fresh smelling as well. So happy I found them! read more