I called last minute ona Friday ~4pm and they fit me in for a gel manicure 20 min later - the service quality was great, my cuticles and nails look wonderful!! read more

I recently got a pedicure here and was pleasantly surprised. This was my first time at May's. The gentleman who did my nails was very polite and diligent. He did a great job and was engaging. The shop is very small, but luckily there were not many people, so it did not feel cramped. I live very close by and am glad I found this place, it will be my go-to from now on! read more

First visit to May's and very happy with my pedicure. I had hammertoe surgery 82 days ago and my toes/foot is still swollen and tender. No pain whatsoever. I called an asked if the had any openings and was seen less than 2 hours later. Everyone was pleasant. The nail technician was super gentle. This is my new go to spot for pedicures! read more

May's Nail Design - Nail Salons Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

*****TOP NAIL SALON IN Arlington, MASS. They treat you like a Queen! I set up an appointment earlier in the day bc we don't live nearby. They even waited for me after I was late. Amazing work. read more

May did an amazing job on my nails and toes. My gel nails haven't peeled, and her application was even and thin. I will definitely be coming back here! read more

I am so bummed to give May's 2 stars, but she swindled me and she knew it. Don't let her do this to you, if you decide to go. I decided about a week ago to treat my poor self to a gel mani-pedi. I say poor bc I truly have no money and I can't remember the last time I got this type of thing for myself. Anyhoo, I decided to give May's a try. They were relatively busy, as it's a pretty small shop. I asked if they had time for a gel mani-pedi and they said yes. When I selected to *real* gel polishes! May told me they didn't have time to do those types of gels (huh?) and that I needed to select from a smaller bunch of polishes that she claimed lasted longer than the gels. Well, me being a trusting and naive soul, I believed her, even after she sheepishly charged me the full $50 for a service she knew she didn't provide. The actual experience itself was fine - it's the part where May lied to me and ripped me off is what I take issue with. Within, no exaggeration, 4 days of getting her "gel" mani-pedi, my polish was chipped on every single nail! I am including a photo as evidence of this. I had considered going back to her and requesting a "do-over", but not sure she'd get it. Sigh. I'm not posting this to be spiteful, but to caution people so that she doesn't rob them, too. read more

Yeah........that is my sister below me............... So I will chime in. I come with my sister and mother basically because they pay for me. No just kidding Well they DO pay for me, but I would go regardless -they have up to date colors =i.e NAVY =the new black -we never wait -they love my sister, so by default they have to love me, i guess -you can buy the color you get -they are precise -they are funny as all hell -the owner daughter is a cutie patooooootie -they are clean -my nails haven't looked this great in SO long I love everyone there and like that they know us by name when we come there. They even let us, check in, go grab some coffee and come back..........they are just cool like that. The place is always packed as well, so that has to tell you something. Yet don't let that fool you.......they will not rush you and are accommodating. They are reasonably priced...not that I pay or anything LOL! read more

I have to give these guys 5 stars. The place is not fabulous (at all), they're not all that nice and I can NEVER get in to get my nails done. But, it's been 4 weeks since my last appointment and my acrylic nails stll look passable. Allow me to explain the acrylic nails. You see, I'm a nail biter. It's a nasty and unsitely habit, but it is what it is. So someone suggested the acrylics. They work for me and most of the time they look great...except when I go to another nail place that uses a lot of force and puts huge nail file gouges into my nail beds. This is possibly even more unsitely than my nail bitten nails of yore. Enter May's Nail Designs - they do a great job. My nails look fantastic, the fill lasts and they manage to do all of this artistry without putting scars on my nail beds. What can I say? Sometimes service quality is more important than Newbury-Street-style service with a smile. read more

Thank you, Yelpers! My old nail place was destroying my acrylics, as my old girl left, and the new girl was 100% sub-par. I had gotten a full set in Florida while visiting my parents (See my review for Venetian Nails), because the Brookline nail place had destroyed my nails over time...but I had thought my acrylic was just old. I went back to Brookline for my fill, and then 2 weeks later (4 weeks after a full set, my nails were breaking and popping off!). So I searched Yelp tirelessly, and I found May's. May's is amazing. It seems like everyone working there chips into the conversation, and I always get a good laugh. The last time I was there, a Russian woman was telling the manicurist that she provides his livelihood, and he told her she only comes in when she has a hot date. As for the service itself, a fill is $20; there are plenty of places in the Boston area that charge a lot more. Plus, since I come from the Harvard Square area, it's a much easier and more pleasant drive than getting down to Coolidge Corner (and who doesn't love Arlington?), so the $2 more than I used to pay is fine by me. I haven't gotten a pedicure yet (they are $25 by the way), but the last time I went for a fill, I brought a friend with me, and she got one. It was nearly an hour, and as she put it, "it had all the bells and whistles!" The last thing I want to mention is that May's is incredibly clean, but more importantly, they work magic. Right now, I'm 13 days into a fill, and my nails usually grow out like crazy. I don't feel the need to file them down (well, maybe a little, but I'm going in on Friday, so why bother?). The best part is that I have red polish on my nails right now, and there is no huge gap between the polish and the cuticle! I've had acrylics on for more than 8 years, and I always have the tell-tale gap - not now! Yay for May's! read more

My first time at May's was wonderful. Good job on my pedicure and my French lasted a week in the sand and is still going strong. Note: I did not have the white airbrushed on like Susan. It was done the regular way. Price was right. Pedi is perfect. And I loved that I could enjoy a movie on the tv in the back. Thank you! Will definitely be back. read more

I ventured into May's after a dismal attempt to grow my own nails for my cousins wedding. I mean, DISMAL. I was afraid the nail tech would scream/laugh/cry and then call over coworkers to see what I dared drag through the door. That my nails were in rough shape would be the point of this presentation. Thankfully, May's was great! I called ahead for an appointment, and when I called to say I was running late, they were very nice, and were ready to go when I got there. It was the first time I got acrylics in a very long time, but they were super gentle and fast. They took care to make sure there were no air bubbles (a huge fear of mine!) and then to make sure that no skin accidentally got glued. The only thing I didn't like was that my nail tech answered a personal call while finishing my nails, and ended up losing track of which nail he was on and messing one of them up. He fixed it quickly, but really, when you are putting the final clear coat on and only have 3 nails left...you couldn't wait and call that person back? This is a no-nonsense, in and out type of salon, but this seems to keep the prices decent and wait time low. I will be back! read more

I tried May's for both an artifical nail fill and a pedicure because of the rave reviews at this site. But, I'm not impressed at all. The manicure was OK. The guy doing my nails was gentle with the dremel and nothing hurt. Coming out of the salon, my nails looked quite good (I got a french). But, the polish wore off the tips in less than a week. He air-brushed on the white tips (something I hadn't seen done before). It looked nice, but they just didn't stand up. Ever since I've been getting the artificial nails, my polish has always lasted at least 2 weeks, maybe 3. So this was disappointing. I suspect that had something to do with the materials. All of their supplies are in generic-looking containers, so I suspect that they buy the cheapest kind in bulk and refill the containers. My last favored nail tech (whom I left back in Pittsburgh) always used brand-name supplies and that really makes a big difference. I went back a week later because I was desperate for a pedicure. The massage he gave my feet and calves felt wonderful, and my toenails are pretty now, but I wonder how they will last. Also, as he trimmed my cuticles and nails, it really hurt several times. Even now - 4 days later, some of my toes hurt when I bump them. Pedicures are supposed to feel good, not be painful. I won't be going back again, and I'll continue my search for a good nail salon. read more

Do you have babies? No? Good. Don't have babies, you should wait a long time, I waited twelve years after being married before I had a baby. They're expensive, when your husband buys you really big ring, that's when you tell him you'll have babies. Seriously, this is the way my manicure started. No lie. I told her that if my husband gave me a large ring I would punch him, cause then he would have wasted all the baby money on bling. Anyway... The manicure here was good, the only thing I didn't like is that I feel my cuticles were over trimmed. I ended up with a ton of hangnails the days after. The pedicure was great, something I think I would return for. My feet haven't felt this soft in a while. They took their time too, weren't rushed to get you in and out of the chair. Oh, and the chair! So fantastic, one of the best pedicure massage chairs I've ever sat in. That alone was enough to make me want to come back. Costs were reasonable, $25 pedi and $15 mani. Definitely call for an appointment as they're busy! read more

They do a great job at May's. I try not to go anywhere else. I do recommend making an appointment though. I rarely am able to just walk in. I've been turned away three times because they are busy. If you have an appoint though, you'll have no problems at all. They do an excellent excellent job! read more

May's Nail Design - Nail Salons Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

I had to write another review for May's, this place is just THAT good. First of all I stopped going for a few months (like 6+ months) and when I went back, they still remembered my name. That's customer service. Second, I got a pedicure (with red polish...meaning chips/cracks are extra noticable) three weeks ago and it still looks perfect, shiny, and fresh...as though I just got them done. For the extra $3-ish they charge (I think a pedicure is $28, as opposed to $25 at a lot of places I have been to) it is totally worth it. I would pay $20 more! read more

I went to May's recently for my very first manicure and pedicure--I was a bridesmaid recently and the outfit involved sandals, so I figured I'd treat myself. I'm hooked now! Obviously I don't have any experiences to compare the work done at May's to anywhere else, but I found the salon very professional yet comfortable. No pain, no bleeding, and my nails looked quite nice when done. The price for a combo mani/pedi seemed reasonable, based on what I've read on Yelp for area salons. I'm pretty rough on my nails and my feet (I'm a dancer and do yoga, so toenail polish gets pretty abused) but the manicure lasted a good week (a long time for me) and the pedicure is still going strong. I think I'm going to have to budget in regular visits! I went as a walk-in at 4:30pm on a Thursday afternoon and was seen pretty quickly, but the salon was busy. I think I got the only free chair in the place. Appointments would be recommended. read more

I had a wonderful experience a May's. The gentleman who did both my pedicure and manicure was very meticulous. I have to say I have been to a lot of nail salons and this was one of the best experiences I have ever had! Thank you! read more

Great place to get a pedi. The people all seemed really nice and we didn't have too hard of a time understanding each other. You can tell this place is popular because they must have turned down 6 people with no appointments in the hour and 15 minutes I was there. They take a little longer but are very precise. The spa pedicure included a great calf massage. read more

Came in at 5pm when they close at 7pm. Only one person getting gel nails. Mind you there are 4 people working. I asked for just a pedicure and they told me they aren't doing any right now. Long wait supposedly. What ‍ read more

Awesome manicure! Loved that May could see me same day. Wonderful atmosphere and plenty of color choices.

I pretty much always give a decent review as I'm not too hard to please. Hate to do this May's but 2 stars is what I find appropriate. I will point out I made an appointment and they took me pretty much right on time, which is a plus. Anyway, just to put my white tips on took forever! This is when I started feeling like this was going to be a process. Granted a full set of white tips is a process but I've been getting them for 13 years now & it has never taken so long. (& I've gone to many places in that time). Based on other reviews & that the place was pretty full, it seems like people like this place so maybe it was just a bad day for them, but I will not be returning to find out if it was just an exception. 90 minutes later, $10 more than I pay at my go to place (I was at my boyfriend's here for the weekend), 3 fingers with cuts on them, & not all nails even (went home and filed them) I was done. My nails do look good but the process to get them like this, I felt was really not average. Sorry May's if this was one off day, but a first impression is a lasting one. read more

May's Nail Design - 3 fingers with cuts on them. Not thrilled. - Nail Salons Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Worst. I came in early on a Saturday morning and was promptly taken for a mani/pedi by a woman in dirty sweats and flip flops. Vic, the man who was to do my nails led me to a very old pedi chair and turned on the massage, which I turned off after it punched me in the kidneys a few times. Vic mostly watched TV and checked his phone while he did my nails, but he also rubbed the file on my skin, scrubbed my calves with a stiff brush and overscrubbed the bottoms of my feet (even after I asked him not to). The most painful pedi of my life. Even when I winced or asked him to stop he really didn't seem to care (I guess it was a really good episode of Burn Notice). The manicure was similar, although less painful. Vic did what seemed to be a good job polishing, but later that day I noticed the polish on my fingers and toes looked very uneven. Less than 36 hours later 8 fingernails were chipped. For $40 I expect a lot better, especially considering the whole deal took almost 2 hours. There were several people getting acrylics done, joking about how rude the employees are on the phone. It's not funny. These guys kinda suck. And I will never be back. read more

This is often my "go to" place for a solid pedicure, the down side is that they don't have an extensive selection of colors and a lot of bottles on the wall need to be replenished as they've been sitting on that wall for years. I tried the "7 days polishes," they were no different from any other polish. It can get frustrating when the staff watches Vietnamese concerts on the tv for hours, they often stop my pedi to watch part of the shows -- this prolongs my time there. It would probably better for business to have English music or American movies or television for customer pleasure. I've found that they're more experienced with manis and pedis and acrylics, but not so experienced with SNS and gel -- these colors are limited and often old. I would love if they brought in a few dozen colors of SNS and fresh gels. read more

One star for location. I went in for a polish change on gel nails. One of the owners used her own thumb nail to scrape of my polish. Then actually used the instrument to saw off the rest of nail polish from the gel. Low and behold, 2 days later my nail polish was pretty much gone off the tips of my nails and I can see my real nails. Chipped at every corner and nail polish with no gloss to it. No go. Sorry. Customer satisfaction should be made a priority given the multitude of nail business pretty much on every block in the neighborhood. I'll proceed to the next one. read more

I've been going to May's for the last 4+ years now. Both my Mom and I followed our nail tech, Victor, from his old shop in Wilmington down to May's in Arlington. For a few years I was driving from Tewksbury to Arlington just to go! I visit consistently every 2-3 weeks for fills and pedicures (and I've gotten my cousin hooked on regular mani-peds as well) - and am pleased with the results every time! The entire staff is always fun, friendly and professional. They are constantly cleaning the tools, pedicure tubs and tables to ensure cleanliness across the board. Victor is patient with me during every visit - occaissionally we'll even need to try out a few polishes until I find one I like and want to stick with or he'll tell me if something looks really bad. Tam does beautiful nail art - he can do pretty much anything you can think up! May & Lisa are pros at all things...from manicures to pedicures and the full team is full of personality and heart. They offer everything from standard services to more trendy, such as the colored gels. A few tips: (1) Don't expect a walk-in appointment on the weekend - this place has a large, dedicated following and their weekends are busy. Be smart and call ahead. They do accept walk-ins but appointments take priority. If you can't call ahead for an appointment, don't be rude when they have to turn you away. (2) On-street parking is usually available but you may want to allow yourself a few extra minutes as certain times are busier than others. (3) If you want nail art, let them know when you make your appointment so they can allocate some extra time. (4) Go to May's...they are fabulous! read more

Ok so I actually found out about May's Nails right here on Yelp. I have to admit I wasn't sure if I should leave another sparkling review because it already seems like the place has started to get pretty busy in the past few months! I have begun making appointments instead of just dropping in! But yes, May's Nails is pretty awesome. No matter who does your nails there you will walk out very satisfied. I like to get my feet and hands done. They always have great colors and the place is totally clean. They have great massage chairs and a delicious selection of magazines that you would never openly buy in the grocery store (you know, gossip rags) but you can eat them up a May's. The folks are very nice and totally cool. May gives a kick ass foot massage. I have NEVER left with feet burned from the water being to hot in the pedicure tub, I have never left with bloody chewed up cuticles, I have never left with nail polish smeared around my skin near my nails and I have never left feeling anything but completely satisfied. read more

I got a lovely pedicure at May's yesterday. My feet look and feel great! The only thing I wasn't completely satisfied with was the polish color, but I have only myself to blame for that. read more

Best acrylic nails I have ever had done. They are incredibly detailed - so don't expect a quick, 20 minute fill. You'll sit there for a while, but it's so worth it! read more

Very nice place - I drive fro 3 towns away to go here! I have gone to May's off/on over the past 3-4 years and they NEVER disappoint. It certainly doesn't look any different than any other salon on the inside but they KNOW what they are doing. Pedicures are done with a lot of attention and last and last. May has painted flower designs (by HAND, no decals) on my toes and they are absolutely lovely plumeria flowers....just beautiful and wrought with care. I don't come here as much as I'd like because it's bit out of the way for me but I will try to go more often as I really have not found a nail salon I like as much and I've been to MANY salons in the Woburn/Winchester area. It is super busy so don't expect to be taken on walk-in. Call at least a few days ahead if you have a specific time you need. Everyone has always been pleasant to me and May, herself, is very sweet. read more

In need of a manicure for New Year's I found May's. It is a great spot with excellent manicures, super friendly staff and impeccably clean. Delighted to find a good nail spot in my neighborhood. read more

Excellent nail salon. Everyone's quite friendly. I've gone a few times and this is my go to nail salon. They do take their time and don't rush you. I do feel that the ladies were friendlier than the guys and probably do a better job...but that's IMHO. They do accept credit cards, but they prefer cash. There's an ATM right next door anyways! read more

They do a great job on pedi's!!! I little pricy but worth the time & effort that they spend on making your nails look great.

A friend and I went to May's this morning for pedicures. We both were extremely pleased with the results. Not only do our toes look great, but our feet look fantastic - including mine, which were desperately in need of a pedicure after several months in flipflops. They even sloughed off the dead skin on my heels, making them look like new. We'll definitely be back. read more

I went to May's for the first time a few weeks ago for a shellac french manicure. I liked the results and the ladies had me laughing. I like shellac because otherwise I destroy any manicure I get within days. The shellac really lasts and also keeps my nails from peeling and breaking. When I woke up this morning and looked at my nails I decided it was definitely time for another one! I called and got an appointment for the same day (yay) and on a Sunday (double yay)! I saw Lisa and she was TERRIFIC! I walked out of there with the best shellac french manicure I've ever had. I will definitely be back to see her! read more

Tried May's after reading positive reviews on Yelp. Some recommended Lisa, so I asked for her, and she did not disappoint. She gave me a perfect Shellac manicure. I made another appointment on my way out the door. Highly recommended. read more

I've going to May's nail for 16years. I will never go else where. May, Lisa, Tam, and Victor do a wonderful job. They sterilize their tools, the nail salon is clean, they are wonderful people. Also, they are very understanding. They just know what to do with your nails and feet. Great work all the time, they never failed me. read more

Loved this place! After reading a few reviews for May's (as well as others for different nail salons) I decided to check this place out. My acrylics were in need of some saving! I started out with a pedicure and it was wonderful. They took their time and I did not feel rushed. For $25 it was well worth it! I also got fill while i was there (for $20) and I am well pleased with the results. I even smudged one of my nails while at the drying station and they fixed it without a fuss. Overall, I was there for two hours and greatly enjoyed my time. They laughed with all of the customers about what was on tv, wished everyone a great day, and were very helpful! P.S. They do take credit cards but they prefer cash read more

Absolutely love this place! One of my friends told me to go here and I'm so glad i did. May gave me a mani and pedi and she took her time doing it. Best pedi I have had and I hate getting them because my feet are so ticklish lol. But i actually really enjoyed it. And I have never had a manicure before that has lasted as long as this one did. Definitely going to be my new nail place thats for sure. read more

I read great things about May's Nails on yelp, so was dismayed to have 2 very rude phone conversations with them. Go to E-Z Nails, right up Mass Ave. They are so nice and do a great job!! read more

I've been to several nail parlors in the area and must say that the services at May's Nail Design are by far the best! Quality of work, attention to detail, and great customer service! May is the best! read more