This place is no frills and gets the job done nicely for clean looks. Helen is so nice and I can…read moretell she has great technical habits by double checking the size of the nails between hands and also painting really close to the cuticle. I will say I've had cleaner cuticle work but the shape and precision close to the cuticle is what I look for most after a gel mani. It's $48 now! Their latest appt is 5:15 usually. Make sure to account for parking (downtown San Mateo so quite busy sometimes with meter parking). Their DND polish line is large but they don't have all the colors. I'd call in to confirm if you have a preference. No OPI. $10 French tip and $15 chrome extra charge. I'm happy with my service and would recommend coming here.

Really great place! I did a walk in (nothing planed) and I had a gel polish removal, pedicure and…read moregel polish put back on. I love the results and was very happy with the quality of work. It's a cozy place which I like personally. good vibes. And they have fair/good prices! Totally recommending this place!

The first time I tried this place was on 06.23.26 with Tracy. I loved that I was able to schedule…read morean appointment through their website and it was a very easy process. I opted for a combination gel manicure and gel pedicure, which was amazing! The best part is almost always the warm foot bath, massage, hot stone massage and hot towels! When it came to the manicure, it's actually a dry manicure, which I've never had before, nor have I ever heard of them! Let me tell you, there is such a thing as a dry manicure and I prefer this way better than a wet manicure. I have eczema, so I am very selective of nail salons and this was great! The different drill bits that Tracy used are to exfoliate the cuticles and around your nail bed, so minimal cutting/trimming is done. I made another appointment through their website for 07.13.26, again with Tracy, to have my gel manicure and gel pedicure removed and this time chose the combination classic manicure and classic pedicure. Basic treatments as before except for regular polish, not gel. Loved every minute of it! I would highly recommend this place! Convenient location. It's near a parking garage or there is street parking. The service and quality is great! The people are nice. It is a bit pricey, but worth it. Thank you Tracy for a great experience!

I've been coming here on and off for the past few years. It'll be my new go-to since the place I…read morewent to previously is inconsistent with the nail techs. Everyone who has worked on my nails here has been great. They add hot stone to a regular pedicure and don't rush to do my nails. My pedicure has also been lasting longer. I recently had a gel cat-eye mani and regular pedi done by Sharon. Although I didn't end up loving my pedi color, Sharon did check in and I said it was good. The cat-eye was perfect and I'll probably get it again in the future. The only things I think the salon can improve on is getting more comfortable chairs and some sort of entertainment in there. There's no music or tv to watch. The chairs are pretty low and when my legs are straight out, they fall asleep easily.

I booked an advanced design set that was scheduled to take 2 hours with Ananya off of ClassPass (66…read morecredits, so approximately ~$132), and she blew me out of the water. I showed three inspo photos to her and DMed them to the Nail Box Instagram, and she freehanded everything on the Gel X nails. The prep was also very clean and short. The entire process only took one hour and the design was so intricate and beautiful- the isolated chrome, the 3D art, the cateye effect, I'm in love!!! This is exactly the kind of maximalist art I was looking for. I attached photos of the inspo I sent as well as my own nails- the left thumb that she painted on just looks amazing. Check out their Instagram highlights for her work, she does an amazing job. I rarely get my nails done since I'm trying to preserve their health more, but I don't regret coming to this Nail Box location at all. It is definitely on the pricier side and if you book advanced nail art on their website it starts at $120 so I think I would've saved a few dollars had I gone through their website directly, so keep this in mind!

Found my new go-to for nail art. Located at downtown san…read moremateo, this cute little nail salon was busy even on a weekday. I chose nail art with anyone, as it seems senior nail tech was booked. I was assigned with Abby. She was truly so kind and attended to my requests. I could not pick out a certain design whether I would go matte or glossy, I kept changing my mind but she followed through and her hand paints were so cute. I'm glad I was able to get my holiday nails done. I've already booked my next nail appointment. Price can be quite steep compared to other places but considering it is in the peninsula and for a nail salon, I love it. They dont rush you and the quality of my nails look great. Parking is a bit limited (as usual since its downtown) but overall love this place. They take walk-ins but from what I heard better to book online very seamless since they are usually always busy.

Wonderful experience with Linda! I called for a last-minute appointment and she got me right in…read more One of the most thorough pedicures I've had-my feet feel great. It's a warm and welcoming space and I look forward to going back!

Needed an early Sunday morning nail spot as a meeting point for my friends. We come from Oakland,…read moreSan Jose, and Castro Valley. We all agreed to meet in San Mateo. This was a get together to get our nails done for some TLC and to strategically get our friend to get her nails done before her engagement !!! The quality of the nails in photos looked great and the inside looked comfy and fitting enough for us to catch up and yap. Kudos to the team bc originally my friend was not gonna get her nails done and only wanted a pedi !!! We finally convince her but then she didn't want gel !! I spoke with my nail tech in secret and had them convince her to get gel. It was a success and without them it would've been mission fail. Our nails looked super cute, great quality, price, & service. Would recommend again. And now our friend is a fianceee with a beautiful rock and with stunning photos !!

Not the best for nails anymore, but the pedicures are always 10/10!…read more I'm not sure if I get nail techs on a bad day but the attitudes I get when it comes to getting my nails done are very off putting. Will stick to pedicures only here.

Celine was phenomenal! I received a gel builder mani and deluxe pedi and it felt amazing. Will…read moredefinitely be going back!

Went back to treat myself and am happy with the results (again)! She was able to squeeze me in last…read moreminute too. The gel manicure was $45 base + $10 for French tip. She even took the time to add glitter too without charging extra. Will be back the next time I need my nails done again :)!

Service was ok. They give a wax dip for pedicures which makes them different than others. But the…read moreservice itself was very subpar the girl is not very interested in doing it and cut corners.

Noa is amazing, super reasonably priced, located in a small salon in downtown SM with only one…read moreother tech so it's nice and quiet and relaxing. Just started seeing her but once I find someone I like I stick with them for years until one of us moves. So I am so happy to have found her. She's very talented, detail oriented and somehow also quick, her time management is really impressive. I get builder gel and honestly it's hard to find techs that do builder well and not wonky as it's finicky. LOVED how these turned out!

Noa is absolutely incredible! I've been seeing her for nails and eyebrow waxing in San Mateo for a…read morewhile now (2 almost 3 years), and I can honestly say she's the best. Her nail work lasts longer than anyone else's - I usually go every 3 weeks (sometimes 4!), and my nails still look perfect (I only change them because I get bored with the color!). I've done acrylics, gel, dip, and I don't even know what else with her, and she always knows what's best for the health of my nails. Thanks to her, my natural nails are healthier than they've ever been. She's also amazing at nail art and design - super detailed, perfect shaping, and she always has fun new ideas to try. On top of that, her eyebrow waxing is so clean and natural. Noa recently opened her own business and is renting a spot at Sarah's nail Salon in downtown San Mateo. She's professional, talented, and incredibly sweet - I genuinely love my time with her. If you're looking for gel nails, dip powder nails, acrylics, pedicures, or eyebrow waxing in San Mateo, you won't find anyone better than Noa. Highly recommend booking with her!

I've been coming here regularly for my manicures and have had appointments with different nail…read moretechnicians. I've always been very pleased with their work. Everyone is professional and attentive, the service is consistently good, and the salon has a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. The location is also very convenient, and I've never had a problem finding parking. I always enjoy coming here and definitely recommend this salon!

I had an amazing experience here! The technicians are very thorough and meticulous. They pay…read moreattention to every detail, and ensure that the experience is memorable. I had the pleasure booking with Vika. She did a pedicure and manicure for me. Her work is amazing. I was pleased that she asked me about her work throughout the time, ensuring that I was happy with everything. This salon is the best place if you're looking for detailed work, with high quality materials. The artists ensure that you receive everything you need as a client. I'm so happy to have found this spot, I will be coming back :)

I had a great experience with Lan today. She was able to help me with exactly what I wanted (a gel…read morex set with ombré color) with short notice. The price was fitting for the high end work she did for me. I appreciated that she gave me a recommendation to try something new next time, so I'll be looking forward to returning soon

amazing! got a pedicure here speedy but good precision, I have been looking for a new nail place…read moresince moving and I definitely found the one! Thank you and I will be returning

The ladies working at Vale nails are amazing…read more I've had gel-x nails done twice by Karolina. She's precise and pays great attention to the details.

I was really excited to try this salon because of all the amazing reviews, but I left feeling…read moreextremely disappointed. First, I had to pay a $50 deposit just to secure the appointment. I even arrived early, but my appointment didn't actually start until 15 minutes after the scheduled time. The technician who did my nails was not welcoming at all--she didn't introduce herself and didn't communicate with me throughout the entire appointment. While working on my nails, she cut or nicked me multiple times. I made it clear that it hurt, but she didn't acknowledge it or apologize once. There was a complete lack of care and professionalism. When the appointment ended, I honestly didn't even realize it was over because no one communicated anything to me, I was just walked over to the register. I was then charged $100, even though I had already paid the $50 deposit. When I called to ask about it, I was told the extra charge was for "fixes" and additional services that were never explained or approved by me. I left without a "goodbye" or "thank you for coming." Very cold and hostile service. The person I spoke to (who I believe is the owner) barely apologized and said the deposit would be refunded. I was told I'd receive an email confirmation, but I never did, and I still haven't seen the refund. I also followed up again regarding the refund and still received no response. I've been to many nail salons, and this was by far the worst experience I've ever had. If I could give zero stars, I would. Needless to say, I won't be returning.