Made an appointment two days in advance after having a not so good experience at INailology in Bankers Hill. Nancy was available upon entry, she did beautiful work and shaped my nails perfectly from square to a soft round, very natural color and shape feel great. No problems of paint lifting or broken nails. Very professional and she told me she and one other does acrylics. She did hard gel on me, it was my first time and it stung while it baked. Felt like my fingers were on fire. Afterwards my nails were so cute and feminine looking. Love the color books, each are clean and not ratty. The salon has parking upfront, used the park smarter app for parking zone and was pleased to walk around afterwards since Nancy did a one hour of work and I paid for two hours of parking. read more

Lena Nails - Hard gel nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

Third time's the charm! After trying two other nail places in Little Italy, I finally found Nancy at Lena Nails -- and I'm so glad I did. She did an amazing job, was friendly, professional, and really took her time. I've finally found my nail person! Highly recommend Nancy! read more

Quality service. Got me in quickly and made great suggestions for a natural gel nail color. Then also made sure to accommodate my concerns on how gel sometimes looks too thick on my shorter nails. read more

I don't treat myself often but when I do, it's always at Lena nails. And that's saying something.. I normally bring my own nail polish which is higher quality and I can keep my manicure and pedicure for at least two weeks. I know people rave about their gel but I'm a purist and just my regular manicure pedicure work great read more

Great job getting me natural looking acrylic nails! Shout out to Kathie for knowing what I want immediately! Love my nails and this will be my go to spot! read more

Lena Nails - Natural looking acrylic nails! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love this Gel-X set Clean almond shape, soft milky color, and the gold details are perfect. Simple but so pretty! read more

Lena Nails - Gel-X - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been here two times in both times the service was phenomenal, they took their time, they were patient. The work was decently priced, and even when there was a wait I was seeing shortly after. read more

generally speaking the service gets a pass, but my issue is with the obvious way they talk about customers. while I don't fully understand what they are saying, I speak enough to understand gesticulation and context. Making fun of customers is not cute, and I hope someday they and other nail salons like them would understand to respect the customer, they are the reason they are in business. it makes a customer feel unwelcome when they know you are talking about them. don't assume you know who speaks your language and who doesn't by the way they look. Be better. read more

Live in Mira Mesa and it takes me about 30 minutes to get to this salon, but it's definitely worth it! The girl who did my nails was so thoughtful and kept checking in to make sure I liked them. I felt really well taken care of, and so happy with the results. I'll definitely be coming back..!!! read more

Lena Nails - Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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Just went to Lena Nails for the first time and will definitely be going back! They got my right in at my appointment time for a builder gel fill, and Kris did an AMAZING job! It's a smaller salon which makes it more relaxing, so I definitely recommend calling to make an appointment in advance. read more

Dropped in one day to just have a single nail fixed that had chipped (my go to place was closed). They were able to accommodate me and I only waited about 10 min. They did a nice job matching the color and shape (dip powder). I will say the replacement nail only lasted about a week, but would try a full set here to test it out. Clean, simple, no frills nail place! read more

I don't know how this review was never posted, but saved to my draft, instead. This nail salon is amazing. I am from out of town, but travel to the area for work and I have been here a few times for pedicures, but this most recent experience was absolutely amazing. I absolutely make it a point to visit this salon. Chris did such an amazing job with these acrylic nails with gel on top. These are probably some of the best nails that I have ever had and she did them to perfection. She really takes pride in her craft, and the quality is absolutely reflected in the result. These nails stayed ON and didn't budge, throughout my entire trip to Hawaii, and then even multiple weeks after. These were Valentine's Day nails, hence the hearts. Absolutely amazing quality and for a great price! read more

Lena Nails - Full set acrylic + tips & gel by Kris. Very well done and sturdy! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came in for my first time ladies were so funny and so sweet and the prices were not bad. Thank you ladies for taking care of me! read more

Lena Nails is honestly one a great spot to go to to get great care for your nails whether its polishing or just caring for it health wise. The inside is very clean and the employees are very knowledgeable and would definitely recommend! read more

Lena Nails - Inside - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

First time trying tap gel with Nancy and I love how they turned out! The shape is perfect and the finish is super glossy. Higher recommend for anyone who doesn't like acrylics. read more

Lena Nails - Gel - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was on vacation and needed my nails done asap! I called the day before and they were able to take me in! The service was good and quick. I had a gel mani and regular pedicure and was out of there in 1 hour and 20 minutes! read more

Super bad attitude and the work is mediocre at best. I wasn't going to leave a review because sometimes people have a bad day and I get that. Besides that, Ms Kathy started to be friendly at the end when doing my gel polish. Her attitude was completely night and day. Its crazy. But I guess thats to earn a tip? Im sure she knew she didn't deserve one with how rude she was to me at first. Two days later, a huge gel bubble she left popped. So Ill have to get my nails redone(somewhere else) to fix. I paid $70 for a full acrylic set. I would not recommend or return. It's a total drag dealing with ppl with a bad attitude and its even worse having to sit in front of them for 1.5hrs. read more

Lena Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

One of My favorite Nail Salons! They're so good and talented. I have been going for years and always provide high quality service! Chi is amazing! read more

Lena Nails - Nails! By Chi - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

only place i get my nails done at!! normally i don't ever feel the need to review a service because not much stands out, but Kathy's work on my nails the past few years has been amazing!! after getting my nails done by her i've never once looked back or went to a different tech. through my nail journey, she has consistently raised the bar!! because i am currently a student and can't get my nails done as regularly as i'd like to, but it doesn't really matter because her work lasts me 5-7 weeks without any damage. before, i had a really bad habit of biting and picking my nails, along with using press-ons with very strong glue and ripping them off. so my nails were extremely damaged. kathy helped me nurture my nails back to health and now i don't even have to do extensions because my natural nails are so long! another notable mention, along the lines of me being a student, i dont have as much financial availability to spend upward of $150 on nails (yes ik it's a luxury i'm just saying sometimes places pricing is kinda outrageous) but Kathy and Lena Nails as a whole is very affordable. now me personally, when i get my nails done i like to splurge and go all out with designs (as shown in the photos) and all of my sets by Kathy have been under $100!! (keep in mind my nails are naturally long so i do not have to pay for extensions such as acrylic/gelx). aside from the nails, i also continue to give my business to Kathy because i appreciate her demeanor. I notice with a lot of personal services, workers often tend to have a "fake" kind of nice to them and honestly it's unbearable. if i'm going to be sitting in a chair for 1-2 hours i don't want a robot with automated "yes that sounds great" or just agreeing to everything i say. Kathy offers good conversation and has a very relatable sense of humor. and she is very honest, which might not be everybody's cup of tea, but it's really needed sometimes. like before if i wanted something she didn't think would be suitable for the current state of my nails she voiced it and we agreed on doing something that would lead to making my nails healthier and stronger, while also remaining cute!! the vibe and aura of the salon is very welcoming in general and is overall my favorite nail salon!! read more

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This is the most unfriendly nail salon ever! Never will I go back. I said hello to my manicurists who did not respond. I repeated myself "Hello." No response. She did not speak the entire time. read more

Lena Nails - Check out the cuticles. This looks like weeks out not days! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

I live only a block away and decided to get my acrylics soaked off instead of just popping them off at home so that I don't damage my nails. When I walked in I specifically asked for a soak off. I sat down the nail tech looked at my nails then pulled out a nail tip. I should have said something when she started popping them off but I have a hard time speaking up for myself. On the third nail she sliced through my nail, separating part of my nail bed from my nail. I said oww and when she did it a second time I pulled my hand back and told her it hurt. After she popped the rest of my nails off she tried putting nail glue on my damaged nail but I told her I didn't want anything on it so that it could heal. At the end she charged me $15 without even apologizing for cutting me. I was honestly shocked so I just paid and left. People make mistakes and that's fine but charging me the full price when you literally cut my finger is messed up and you know that's wrong. I wish I would have said something from the beginning but nail salons should not be popping acrylics off!!! Now I have to wait until my nail heals so that I can paint it again read more

Lena Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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I've been going to Lena for almost 10 years, and they are the best. One of the things I love most is their care for your nail health--they SOAK OFF gel polish instead of filing it off, which keeps my nails strong and healthy. Most places file the gel off until your nails are paper thin - but never Lena Nails! They do tend to get busy since they have so many regulars, so I recommend making an appointment in advance. read more

My pedicure turned out great! But when I called to schedule an appointment the lady on the phone was a little rude and short. Overall, I would come back because I enjoyed my service. read more

I first heard about Lena Nails visiting friends in the San Diego area. I always had not so pleasant experiences at nail salons in Los Angeles. However, on my first visit here I was so impressed by their professionalism and friendliness despite being a walk-in client. It wasn't too busy that day so they took me in within 15 minutes. I wanted a different color on each nail for the fall season, so I showed Chris, my nail technician, the shape and design I wanted. She took my phone for inspiration, grabbed multiple gel colors, and swatched them on paper in order to map out which color would go on each finger. Before even painting my nails she checked if I liked each color and which nail they would go on. I've never seen anyone map out the colors as thoroughly as she did!! Also the pointed almond shape is sooooo pretty and the pumpkin was a cute addition I highly highly recommend coming here, and I will definitely be coming back every time I come to visit downtown San Diego. read more

Lena Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

I give this place one star, and only one star for the actual work on my nails. I went in on a weekend with an appointment. Parking was NON EXISTENT I drove around Little Italy for 45 minutes and called them to let them know I couldn't find parking. The girl who answered said I would need to come back 3 hours later if I wanted to. I agreed & went back later only to still find no parking. I parked in a loading zone right in front of the salon where I could keep an eye on my car, risking getting towed or ticketed. I walked in on time for my appointment & the employees all looked at me but no one said hi when I said hi. The girl near the entrance, Kathy looked at me again so I said "Hi, I'm here for a fill appointment & pedicure." She said "We won't be able to do your pedicure but if you want a fill you need to wait." Her ATTITUDE was horrible, rude tone & gave me a a look like if I was ruining her day. I said it was ok & I would wait for the fill. Kathy did my nails & was RUDE, IGNORED ME IF I ASKED A QUESTION & her ATTITUDE was HORRIBLE the whole time except for right before she finished my hands. She suddenly switched to a very bubbly & happy girl with a fake sweet voice, very bizarre. The nails turned out decent but the rude behavior was not worth it. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS #1 They must have way too many customers to care. read more

Walked in around 11:15am on a Thursday morning and were helped almost immediately. Our party of 2 got 2 regular manicures and 1 regular pedicure. They didn't do as much cleaning/massaging as I would've liked but overall they did a great job and we were in and out in an hour. I will say though, they tend to take almost every walk in no matter what. We saw a few people with appointments who came in their time slot and weren't helped immediately because they were all filled with walk ins. Just an FYI if you do make an appointment. Prices are very reasonable, especially for downtown/Little Italy area. Our manicures were $18 and the pedicure was $25! They take Venmo also which is a plus. Overall we were pleased with our services! read more

Lena Nails - Regular Manicure ($18) - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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Good service and quick. Was in town for a few days and desperately needed a manicure-called and booked an appointment, came in, the place is clean. Lots of nail color choices. I have one bad nail that the nail tech fixed (didn't charge extra) and was very efficient in my manicure. Fresh product, and nails dried fast-highly recommend. read more

I believe nancy did my acrylics and some other young lady did my toes and I am so beyond happy. They are so amazing with their work and take the time to really make everything perfect and make the customer happy. Everyone is so sweet, I can tell these nails will last a while and such a great price. Go here!!! read more

I've been to numerous nail salons throughout downtown SD, and litttle Italy and this is my favorite spot! Everyone takes their time and their work is very detailed and spot on. I always do a walk in and have never had to wait longer than 15 min. Prices are perfect too :) read more

Best manicure in all of Little Italy. The pricing is reasonable, staff is incredibly kind, talented and professional, and I always leave prettier than when I walked in. Highly rec Kathy & Kris, who gave this frequent nailbiter the most beautifully manicured Gelx nails of her life. read more

Hai is the best I came to her with short and broken nails and I have been extremely impressed with the growth over the months. Not to mention that each manicure has lasted me 4 weeks! She's super patient and gets it right every time! All pictures are a dip manicure with gel over them. Just look at the detail in each read more

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5 weeks and not a single chip. I have been going here for years. I even moved out of San Diego and when I'm back in town, I always go to Lena Nails. Everyone is exquisite and they take their time with you, whether it's super busy or barely anybody in the shop. If you're looking for a great manicure and long lasting nails, don't hesitate with Lena Nails! read more

Lena Nails - 5 weeks and no chip - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

Everyone is super nice except Kris, and she will let you know it. I found a new place because I don't like the hostility.Kathy is awesome!

Make an appointment, they book up fast. But have always honored my apt on time. I have always found this place a little more professional and cleanly than others. This last visit I had a little baby blister on my toe that i hasn't even noticed but when my technician was filing my nail it popped. She stopped what she was doing, asked me if it hurt, and cleaned it up before moving on. I just feel like at so many other places they wouldn't even say anything, even when sometimes they cause you to bleed themselves! This was so professional and made me feel so safe. My pedicure came out great. read more

Cathy and Chris are THE best! I've been to other nail spots being an every 2 week nail girly and I never need to try another spot!

Showed up on a Tuesday afternoon and was able to walk right in and have my nails done. I explained to the nail tech that I have some disabilities that cause discomfort & make doing my own nails very difficult. She was so helpful & continually checked in on me throughout the appointment. She even gave me her honest opinion on my color choices which is so refreshing. I'll see you in 3 weeks! read more

Lena Nails - Lavender dip nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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I only ever went to this salon to get my pedicure done. I would never have trusted them with my nails and for good reason. It was simply a convenient location to walk to for a simple pedicure. I'm not too picky with my toes the way I am with my hands but they couldn't even get that right. They do a decent pedicure but the attitude of the women absolutely sucks. My first witness to this behavior was when my best friend was in town visiting and the women were rude to her. She called in advance to confirm that they did acrylic pedicures but then was told at the time of her appointment that it couldn't be done because it wasn't scheduled as such. The HBIC was rude, and loud about it too which was super embarrassing. This was just before her birthday trip and they weren't willing to even work with her. She absolutely hated her pedicure and I should have paid attention to this first red flag. Instead, I continued to go to them for convenience. This last appointment the pedicurist cut inward on my big toe making my nail much more narrow than it normally is. I have in the past always told them not to do this. When I said something about it I was told by the HBIC that it wasn't her fault and that my nail was already cracked - which simply wasn't true. At first I asked for it to be fixed with acrylic (which they agreed to fix) and ultimately I changed my mind because I didn't feel like waiting for the only lady who can do it to be available. I paid full price despite my dissatisfaction. Silly of me to call back just now and try to make another appointment instead of finding a more competent salon only to be told by the same HBIC that they don't want me to come back and refuse to do my nails. You would have thought I made a scene or was disrespectful to one of them. Only thing I'm guilty of is giving entirely too many chances to rude women who wouldn't know what customer service was if it hit them in the face. It makes me so angry how nice and polite I was to them when they truly deserved the attitude they gave returned right back to them. I'm trying to right my wrong now by sharing my story with you all so you don't have the same experience I did. Do not give them your business or time, they are terrible! read more

My daughter and I arrived at Lena late on a Friday hoping to "pop in" and get pedi's before our cruise the next day. We'd called ahead from our hotel and she'd said to come right down, so we grabbed a couple of Bird scooters and (literally) zipped right over there. This place was packed with regulars! Coming from a town where a crowded nail salon has about 4 people in it, I was a bit shellshocked - but the staff was super efficient as they finished their current customers before getting to us. We chose from their large selection of polishes before settling down for the full spa pedi treatment (including luxurious lower leg massages using a lovely-smelling scrub). We left feeling, finally, like we were on vacation - and now it's been two months later and (true confession) that pedi I got looks good as new! read more

Lena Nails - Tons of colors to choose from! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

Every time I come to Lena Nails they amaze me with how talented they are! Got a full set of acrylic nails done by Kris and wow! I've never had a nail tech take such time to really make my nails perfect. This is easily the best set I've gotten from anywhere in San Diego. I recommend Lena Nails and Kris endlessly! read more

Lena Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Diego, California

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My go to nail place a few blocks from the house ! Kathy does amazing nails and is the sweetest :) she's great at designs and the nail shaping is always perfection! I'm picky with my nails and she does amazing read more