I wouldn't necessarily say they are in my top five, however they do a decent job. The women are sweet but at times they do appear a bit rushed. I've come here for a mani and pedi before and I feel that I could have done them both myself. I will however give them five stars when it comes to massaging. I received an excellent hand and back massage today. As a last resort I would come here again or make sure you come during the weekday when they are less busy and have more time to attend to you. read more

Pema Nails - Opi- summertime yellow. Not bad but I felt like I could have done it myself. - Nail Salons Near Me - Astoria, New York

Great service, very friendly staff. Everything was clean and sanitized. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a quick manicure in Astoria! read more

Pema Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Astoria, New York

They are not great at all. They don't care about doing a good job. Never cut cuticle properly. The nail polish starts chipping off the next day. I used to go to them more often and now I am looking for a new place. The ladies that work there also don't know how to keep quiet for the customers. Always giggling and laughing and t times talk in their language about their customers. That's not appropriate. read more

Christina M. was not kidding! I also got a nail infection from this place! I was experiencing pain and swelling of my three my toes and I ignored it at first, but the pain got really bad. I finally decided to take off the nail polish and thats when I noticed my nails looked yellow! Scared shitless is an understatement. I went to the doctor and the first thing he asked was "where and when did you get your last pedicure?" At first I thought he was dissing me for looking like a slob, so there I am explaining to him that its been a busy week and that I havent had the time to get my nails done, BUT I quickly realized what he really meant.....dun dun dunnnnnnnnn. NAIL INFECTION!!!!!! Gasp. Yes ladies. Pema nails is to blame. Dont get me wrong, everybody working there seemed nice, prices were cheap, but clearly the tools they're using are not sanitized. I'm scarred for life. I'll be painting them myself for a while. read more

I'm so sad to write a bad review for this place because the women working there were really nice and accommodating. While they give great massages for simply getting a manicure and it's super cheap, neither is worth it when a couple days later you're woken out of your sleep by a NAIL BED INFECTION. I now see that many other reviewers have complained about this, so I can only assume that they do not sterilize their tools. I do remember my manicurist pulling her tools out of a drawer instead of from a sterilized solution-filled jar...and she spent an extraordinarily long time on my cuticles--I simply thought they needed the work. Unfortunately, this was a recipe for disaster! Result: a VERY painful procedure at an urgent care center where they froze my finger. This was so painful that I instead had them apply an anesthesia with a needle so they could slowly squeeze out the puss of the infection. My finger was then cleaned and wrapped in gauze, I'm to have a follow up tomorrow to check on the healing process, and I'm prescribed antibiotics. Sorry people. Avoid this place! You're paying $7 for a nail bed infection. read more

Have been going to Pema for almost 15 years. The loveliest ladies in the neighborhood.

This is my first time writing a review for anything but I am so disappointed with my nails. I get a gel manicure every two weeks in San Francisco, last time I got them done in San Francisco I got a gel manicure, a pedicure and an eyebrow wax, it took 50mins and everything was perfect. I spent 1 hour and 15mins in Pema Nails to get the worst gel nails iv ever seen. Only that I spent so long in here I would have asked them to take it all off. I paid $30 for it. Also when they were cleaning and filing my nails, I'm pretty sure the tools they were using were not sterlised either as they came out of an opened bag and did not look clean read more

I can't express enough- I love these angels. They are so warm, so friendly, always sweet and making sure you are comfortable and happy. inexpensive for how attentive they are & definitely the strongest hands on the block for those post-mani massages. the interior is also so cute. they always have the news on and are quick to engage in a conversation about what's going on- or not, if you prefer to enjoy your mani/pedi in silence. Just wonderful ladies- thank you, pema. read more

Definetly worth your $20 for mani/pedi Nice personnel, great massage and great result. I will come back read more

Omg the massages! This is what keeps me coming back. They give great arms, feet/leg and back massages during your mani, pedi and drying. Other than that, it's a tiny place that can be chaotic at times. Their polish selection is not the best and the quality of the work depends on who they assign to you, but I've never had a really awful job done there. I also don't really love when they switch out technicians every time a diva customer walks in requesting a specific girl. How many times must I come in order to reach diva status? In all, I rather pay the $18 for a mani/pedi here that includes great massages and lively atmosphere than $15 next door with technicians who are always so abrasive and looking like they hate life. read more

At first glance, this place looks a little dumpy, but the women are super nice and friendly. They use Essie and OPI nail polish and are very very inexpensive. My pedicure seems to last longer from here than other places for some reason, and they take their time and do a good job. The major perk, and what keeps me coming back here from Ditmars to Broadway is the long massage at the end while your nails are drying. I tend to switch nail salons a lot because once I have a bad experience I stop going, but this place hasn't disappointed me yet. Just a side note: they do not do acrylics here, so if you're looking for tips you need to go elsewhere. read more

Best place to get my eyebrows done... so far. I used to go to Cosmo nails and they butchered my eyebrows and always rushed the service. At Pema nails, the lady (Nema I think) took her time to fix the screw up that was done at Cosmo nails. She even told me it would take 1 or 2 more visits before she can shape my brows. She took her time and when it comes to my eyebrows, she can take all the time she needs. Call me crazy but I think she was passionate about eyebrow waxing!! The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because lack of privacy and it looks pretty run down. read more

If getting three free massages while your mani and pedi is in the works isn't your kind of thing, I suggest you don't try this place. I have never had a more relaxing mani/pedi in my life. This is a gem! After all of these warm to cold temperature woes, I decided it was time to get my nails done. I knew I wanted to check a place in Astoria out as I've just moved to the neighborhood and also didn't want to pay anything crazy. Walked right in on Friday afternoon and immediately was seated and one of the ladies asked me what my water preference was for my feet. I thought that was pretty awesome because the majority of places just give you whatever and depending on your sensitivity it can range from lava hot to polar ice cold. Needless to say, I was happy she asked. Not only that, but she was the nicest lady ever. After getting to work on my feet she massaged the heck out of them. I was dozing off and on and had to remind myself to stop drooling. While she worked on my feet, another lady worked on my hands. So precise and neat that I wowed out loud. She massaged my hands as well as my forearms and shoulders. It was fantastic! I wasn't expecting all of this special treatment. But, it wasn't any special treatment, this is just how they do things at Pema! Mind = Blown! I opted for the shellac mani and the same lady filed and painted them multiple times until it was perfect. While my nails were drying I got ANOTHER massage! This time my shoulders, back and forearms. I was ready to start purring. For a $25 shellac mani, you get two massages. For a $15 pedi, you get a foot massage. I cannot stress this enough but THAT is pretty flipping awesome! Their shellac colors aren't very expansive but they've got some very pretty colors! The regular manis are only $7 and you can choose OPI polish along with another brand i can't remember. All in all - i'm not going anywhere else. read more

I'm trying to do a better job about giving good reviews to my fave neighborhood places so what better way than to start with my go-to nail salon? I've been going here for several years now and they are just fantastic! These ladies are so lovely and great at what they do - whether I get a gel or regular mani they are always gorgeous and last a long time. The pedis are great too! The ladies are super friendly and sweet, the prices are fantastic and they always finish up with a short but amazing shoulder rub (but if you really want to feel relaxed just add a 10 minute massage for $10 and feel all your stress melt away!). The place is small and may not look like much at first glance but you can't beat the price or the service. Do yourself a favor and become a regular here your nails and your wallet will thank you! read more

The nail technician here did a great job but they were collectively shady about their prices. They literally told a customer that the normal nail polish she picked out would be $5 extra because it was a brand new polish. This wasn't listed anywhere. They don't include gel removal in the pricing for a gel pedicure which should go hand in hand. Overall a confusing and uncomfortable experience. Prices here are more expensive than most salons in Astoria and even Manhattan. read more

Stay away from this place!! The salon is under new management and they are horrible!!! The lady that answers the phone is extremely rude and customer service does not even deserve 1 star!! I am extremely disappointed with the place under new management and although I have been coming here for over 15+ years, it's time to look for a new nail salon. read more

These girls are amazing they are fast and they do a really good job! Nails and massage prefect combination!

I literally just left this place after they watched me sit there for 30 minutes just to tell me they can't serve me, it's absolutely disgusting that this is the way they treat their customer service and it's funny because most employees that work there were there before. I've also noticed that the quality in the nails that they do and the nail polish has been also lower quality and they don't have many selections like they used to I guess this place is losing money. I would not recommend coming here unless you want to waste your money and your time read more

I very rarely get manicures and pedicures. But, it was my birthday last week, and I decided to get a mani/pedi to treat myself. After searching the reviews on Yelp, I picked this place, and I was happy I did. The massages really are wonderful. Your feet and legs get rubbed and mushed for a really good amount of time. I have been to a few places that rub your feet for all of 3 seconds, then stop. But not this place! I think my legs and feet got massaged for at least 5 minutes. It was great! Since it wasn't too busy when I arrived, they offered to do the manicure at the same time as the pedicure. Other than it being a little awkward for me to keep reaching my hand across to where the manicurist was sitting, it was great. My fingers and toes look gorgeous, and I left feeling nice and relaxed. Several days later my nails still look great - which is impressive, since I'm not very careful about my nails. The mani/pedi was $18. I did not opt for quick-dry, which supposedly was only $1 extra. read more

After going next door to Bamboo for about 7 years, I stopped by Pema one night simply because Bamboo was closed and my nails were in dire need of someTLC. I was amazed at the long relaxing pedicure and the extent of the massage they give to your legs and feet. Blows Bamboo out of the water! Everyone is super friendly, a few manicurists are a little too slow, however. And a couple times, the nail tech left in the middle of doing my pedicure to work on someone else that had walked in because apparently, that customer was more important. The massage at the end is always amazing too, and never rushed. Pros: Awesome massage, amazing pedicure, neat work, relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff Cons: Sometimes too slow, very busy on weekends, staff has "favorites" in terms of customers and will leave in the middle of doing your nails to work on someone else (happened to me twice), Cash only read more

Great customer service and they do a great job with manicures/pedicures!..Ive been going there for 3 years and Im pleased:)

I hate leaving bad reviews but I had a not so good experience today. I got to Pema and 2 girls were working on other people. They called a 3rd woman down from somewhere upstairs and after about 10 minutes, she came in. Coughing the whole time (bronchitis kind of cough) and never washed her hands once after coughing into her shirt, her sleeve, etc. She was very nice and gave a good massage but after her coughing the whole time, I couldn't enjoy any of it. I just kept thinking about the bronchial germs that were all over her hands. The manicure itself, was not great either. One of my nails are lopsided, there is nail polish around the cuticle. When I looked closer after I got home, one nail already had a nick in it. She upsold me for a special base coat and quick dry at $2. My color is already chipped. I don't think I'll be going back. read more

I am deeply sorry to read about the infection problems that some people experienced at Pema Nails- I once got a pretty bad infection from a spa place in Manhattan so I know exactly what you've been through! Nonetheless, I have to say that I have been going there almost every week since July and never ever had a problem. Everybody is friendly and welcoming at Pema, but I tend to always go for the same girl. It literally takes her 2 hours to finish my mani-pedi. She checks and rechecks for even the tiniest little cuticles and spoils me with THREE LONG MASSAGES every time I go: feet first, then arms, and finally shoulders. Don't worry, it's not a special treatment, they do that with all their customers :-) My manicure always lasts for 7 days at least and my pedicure for good 3 weeks, although I usually end up going just once a month and still manage for my feet to look presentable. The price? $20!! I don't live in Astoria but I keep coming back to Pema Nails because, after 6 year living in NYC, I feel I have finally found a nail salon I can truly rely on. read more

Comepletely ruined the shape of my nails. Filed them down to the point I couldn't salvage. Asked for square oval and she made them round. Too many great salons around to make mistakes like this. Wasn't even apologetic, very blasé attitude. Would give negative review if I could. read more

I'd been to Pema a few times when I couldn't get to my regular salon near my office in the city. They always did a good job for their price ($7 for a regular manicure) and I never had a problem. I always bring my own color, base and topcoat. That's just my preference. For the last few months I've been using CND VinyLux polish - it's the same company that makes the Shellac polish. It's applied like regular polish, only no base coat. Many of the salons have it now and it's just a regular manicure - not all the steps you do with a gel mani. Most salons charge $4 or $5 extra for VinyLux. I'm explaining this because I bring my own polish and that goes for VinyLux too. I buy it online along with the special topcoat. Last week at Pema they tried to charge me an extra dollar for the mani. I asked why and they said "you're using VinyLux." Yes, but it's mine. I brought it with me - it's not yours. They insisted and I refused to pay it and was going to leave before they did any polish. They finally relented and didn't charge the dollar. You may be wondering what the big deal is. But it's wrong - if I bring my own polish and don't use the salon's supply, you don't charge me extra. So now they've lost a customer. Permanently. read more

I'm not sure what happened but I think I got a happy ending after my Brazilian wax. She just did too much rubbing with that hot towel in such a fast sequence. I gave her a $20 tip. read more

I went in here on a Saturday evening, after yoga. I usually do a gel manicure and a regular pedicure at Amy's Nails in Corona (Queens) but I decided to stop in here. They were very, very, very busy. One girl started my manicure but had a customer come in that would only go to her that wanted a pedi so she stopped what she was doing with me and left me sitting to go do a pedi and told me someone would come to finish painting my nails in a moment. A woman came and finished and then put me under the dryer. They left me under the dryer for quite a few cycles because it was so busy there was nowhere to sit. The woman did come and do a massage though. Next, it was time for the pedicure, which I felt was very rushed. She did not do anything for the bottom of my feet, and I had to ask her if she was going to use the shaver or a pumice stone or what. She filled the tub again and had another lady come, who did it hurriedly. Then the original girl came and did the polish...I asked for French and the pink is so light it looks as if my toes are just painted all white. I really had to go so I figured I could just paint them myself when I got home. Meanwhile, they had forgotten to put clear coat on my mani, so I did it myself at the dryer, while waiting for my toes to dry. While all this was going on, there was a little girl (she belonged to one of the employees) running around playing with the daughter of a client. I love kids, and I think they're cute but I could tell that other customers were annoyed, particularly a man who wasn't partial to shrieking and screaming. Also, keep in mind the salon is very small and the two girls were flying around, careening into things and people. I didn't get irritated until the very end, when the little girl of one of the employees came right next to me and picked up my iPhone, dropping it and cracking the screen (it was sitting on top of a magazine she wanted). She apologized and then skipped off to play some more. At this point, I was really ready for my nails to dry so I could get the hell out of there. They also have a sign that says they accept Visa/MC, but they only take cash. Pros: Cheap, massage while you're waiting, techs speak English, very nice/happy Cons: Cute but unsupervised children doing property damage, younger nail tech didn't do a full pedicure, very busy and rushed. I would give this place another chance since it's right next to my yoga studio (Yoga Agora); I'll just make sure I come at a time that won't be so busy. And I will make sure my iPhone has a cover on it- I didn't get a case yet because the screen is still damaged. read more

Usually my main nail salon was busy, so I decided to go here. The staff is very friendly and its a very tight small place. Anyways I asked for a manicure and the women who did my nails didnt even bother to cut my cuticles or anything like that. Took maybe like 15 minutes to just paint my nails or so! Felt like I was being rushed and the utensils dont even look clean so this will be my last time going there!! read more

I had been to Pema several times for regular manicures, and never had a complaint. The women are exceptionally friendly and the massages are the greatest. However, I was there over the weekend and decided to splurge for a $25 gel manicure. At first, my nails looked great and I was SO happy with them. That changed 3 days later, when I noticed the gel was already peeling away from my nail and was getting cracked around the edges. I would have never gotten a gel if I didn't plan on it lasting AT LEAST 2 weeks, so I decided to go back the next day after work to see if they would be willing to fix it. The women were extremely apologetic about my nails, and acknowledged that they were peeling. I asked if they would be willing to fix it and they said yes of course. I sat down, they took off the gel, and went to work on re-doing them. Throughout doing it, I thanked them constantly and apologized for being a pain. When my nails were done, the woman looked at me and said, "You're going to have to pay $15." ARE YOU KIDDING ME? After apologizing, saying they would fix it, and being incredibly sweet, they charged me only $10 less than the gel originally was and double the price of a regular manicure. I would have NEVER gotten it done for another $15, and I acknowledged that they did not tell me that from the start and it was completely ridiculous. The woman said I had to pay because "it had been a week". I would like to clarify that I got my nails done on Saturday afternoon, I noticed my nails peeling Tuesday night, and went back promptly after work on Wednesday. When I pointed this out (rather angrily) she agreed that I could pay $10, and that the owner wasn't there and that was the best that she could do for me. I was absolutely enraged, paid the $10, refused my massage, and will absolutely NEVER be going back to pema for any services. These women completely rip you off. I'd also like to point out that my nails look like absolutely garbage this second time around. read more

I really, really, wanted to give this place 4 stars, but I got a serious nail infection here and all my toenails fell off. They do a really really good job and they are just so nice (and the prices SO CHEAP) but after the nail infection, I have to say they need to step up the cleaning. read more

I love this shop. Great service. Mani pedi is never rushed. Massages are awesome (foot and body). Techs have great personalities. Recommend to any and everyone. read more

3.8 stars. It was my first time trying at Pema Nail. My experience at Pema Nails was overall positive and good. But I actually could understand and agree with a review that contains information about nail infection. A lady did my nails was a young(not Pema) and she pushed my cuticle really really hard. I thought of getting hurt! Fortunately nothing happened but really I was really scary!!! But overall, good service and price. I will go back there again. read more

I just found this place after years of walking right by. I'm not sure why I never stopped in before, but the services and prices are amazing. As other people mentioned, it's not the cleanest or the most up to date, but the length of massage is amazing. A manicure/pedicure with amazing massages was $20. Then last night I tried a gel manicure there and had my eyebrows done. The gel mani was $25, which I think is a really great price. Also, the woman who did my nails (maybe the owner/manager?) was not so precise, but she gave me a massage for about 10 minutes while the gel was drying under the UV. Seriously, for $25 I got a gel manicure and about a 10 minute massage. I'm a little scared after reading the reviews about the number of people who got nail infections here... but I think the reward is worth the risk! read more

I think Pema is now my new go to spot! My regular place hasn't been so great since they got new owners. I had been to Pema a few times over the years for quick Mani/pedis. Today, and the last time I was in I got gel manicures and regular pedicures. The prices are very reasonable and all of the ladies in there are lovely and they give you a great mini massage after your done. Also, another very nice touch is the paraffin wax they put on your heels during the pedicure. It's a small salon, but I've never had to wait long even without an appointment. read more

Positives: Opens early, at 9am Pedicure was great Best massages Everyine is very friendly and accomodating Mani and pedi done simultaneously Negatives: Gel manicure was horrible, messy and uneven gel paint job $40 for a gel manicure and regular pedicure No sunscreen or gloves provided for use with uv lamps Since i was leaving this past Tuesday for Wildwood and knew i would be swimmng, i decided to get a gel manicure so i wouldnt have to deal with the polish chipping. I went to Pemas, because i noticed it was 9:45 am and it was open. I had been here once before about two years and liked it. Its just a small salon, and it gets very crowded so i usualy opt for a larger salon. Anyway i had brought my own china glaze gel , which includes the base coat in the formula. The nail tech was very apprehensive because i didnt have the china glaze top coat and she was reluctant to try my china glaze with their shellac top coat. She then offered a similar color but i declined wanting to get my toes and fingernails painted in "pool party" brightness. I changed my mind and decided to change to a reg pedi and save $18 dollars. Pedicure was great and was done by one nail tech, while my mani was done by another tech. Right after i paid for the reg mani and pedi, the nail tech handling my mani asked if i wanted to try the gel anyway but with their shellac. I said ok, lets try it - as long as it stays on for the duration of my trip - i will be happy! So i paid the $18 dollars and away we went. She started the gel and kept asking me to confirm that the base coat was included in the china glaze (gelaze ) and also asked me to read and info printed on the bottle. While i dont know the first thing about gel manicures (i have only had 2 prior this one) the printing on the bottle said base included. She started with a base anyway and kept remarking that it shouldnt be so sticky. After all the steps, it dried hard and shiny which was great, but the paint job was extremely messy. The cuticles and sides of my nails are covered with this hard paint. The tips of my nails have no paint on them, and the bottom of my nail above the cuticle is painted so sparingly that you can see through to my nail. While i may go back because the massages were phenomenal, i will never get a gel mani at Pema's again. read more

Pema Nails - China glaze Gelaze in pool party (not my pic tho, downloaded from the web). This shows that base is included in this formula. - Nail Salons Near Me - Astoria, New York

They did a good pedicure BUT I spent $35 on SNS and its coming off a week later. I went back and they fixed the nails that came off, but a few days later different nails are chipping. She did not clean the edges whilst putting the powder on, so its getting caught on everything and pulling my hair!! Would not go here for SNS, but they are nice women and I would go back only for a regular mani/pedi. read more

Not the absolute cleanest, but I still choose this place over others. They are very friendly, remember their customers, are the cheapest I've ever seen, and do a consistently good job on waxes, manis, and pedis. With every mani or pedi comes a massage while you're drying! A good one, too! That's my favorite part :) read more

This is my JOINT. I love this place. Most inexpensive places treat you like you are going through the drive through at a Fast Food place. Not this place! They give you massages throughout the manicure/pedicure, they do an awesome job, and they remember their customers and are happy to chat (or not). read more

The girls won me over. There's been a change in staff since my last review and I'm totally here for it! Toshi is awesome and so is the owner. I get mani/pedi and waxes here and have had no problems since the last incident. They do a really good job here with the pedicure - it's much better than the more expensive "spa pedicure" next door. read more

Their credit card machine has been "broken" for about 3 years now, but they still have the credit card sign on their door. It's very frustrating. read more