Always fun and very clean very accessible and parking is great I always go here to relax

Great places to visit and unwind when you're stressed out. Baths, saunas and body scrubs are amazing.

They have a new masseur and scrub dude (Joe?) and he was amazing! 1) unlike some businesses nearby, he doesn't smoke so his body doesn't smell like smoke when he scrubs or massages you! 2) I asked for "deep" pressure for my muscle relief and he gave deep then asked if it was good or if I wanted deeper. I asked a little deeper? He did, and now 2 weeks later I am thinking I need to go back! I live in the district and I'm up in Rockville after some appointments writing this update because my body is saying "go back to Joe" For non locals, thinking of a massage/korean scrub in Annandale va while not at home, which is Already a distance away (south of dc), and while even further north in Rockville, is a sign of a great massage, experience (professional, kind, respectful, talented!)! It was a total release that my muscles needed!! read more

The dry sauna is extremely dangerous and too hot. If you have high blood pressure, could be fatal. Everyone I talked to there said the same thing. Management does'nt care when I raised my concerns. The steam room has an annoying florescent light that is anything but relaxing. WILL NOT BE RETURNING. Hope you go out of business. read more

Visited Spa Riverside a few weeks ago and received another great body scrub and massage by "Joe". I tried the hot tub, steam room, cold plunge and relaxation room. I had to wait about 30 minutes after my scheduled appointment but it was worth it. Unbeatable prices! read more

Great small spa. It's nice not to be overwhelmed like the bigger ones. The wet area is clean and well maintained. The area to relax in has nice comfortable reclining chairs. read more

Like the place small but have everything you needed. Price is reasonable for all services.

Reminds me of the first time I came here in elementary school with my late step grandmother. The workers remind me of my family members, the price is very fair. I love to pop by for an hour or so to detox when I can. They only have 2 "sauna" rooms women can use and 1 steam and 1 sauna in the wash Area where you're naked. You're welcome. read more

Staff was friendly. Yet, it is small And the clientele on the women's side are hostile to some people. I'm heavily tattooed and bigger than average, I got a lot of shade from others there. Not relaxing at all. Maybe they need to be a private club so people like me won't need to invade their space. Go to another spa f you don't want to have dirty looks thrown at you. Especially if you're tattooed or over a size 14. I'll never be back. read more

Convinient parking and location. Totally naked. Robe used only for relaxing room. One dry and one steam sauna rooms One hot and one cold jacuzzis No limit for time. Some soft drinks available. Excellent masseur read more

Facility: Hot tub, cold pool, sauna, steam room, dark room with reclining chairs - all included in the $20 entry fee I suppose it looked decently clean. Towels - why are they so small??? Why is there ONLY 1 toilet in the locker room??? Services: They offer separate locker for shoes on entering the locker room and then also full lockers for clothes and belongings. They do offer body massages, feet massage, body scrub. ***BIG pet peeve is the language barrier as it is completely staffed by Koreans ... and so if you don't speak it, it allows room for miscommunication. Example: when he finished my foot massage, all he said was "OK, OK," ... well with my face covered, how was I supposed to know what hat he meant was the session was over??? read more

Very rude lady with a very bad attitude at the front desk. She needs training how to speak to customers asking questions.

Sauna is open, steam is open and hot tub is open. They give you a razor if you want to manscape on the Korean shower stools, or just shave your face. Still give robes and the back alley is still open if you want to relax back there in your robe! It's back in business, although they are still closing at 9 instead of 11, and there are still three relaxation seats instead of six. read more

Spa Riverside - Massage Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

This is my go to place, but I'll say it's probably not for everyone. Actually-feel free to go someplace else because it's better for me if it's not crowded. If you are looking for a western style luxurious joint that is going to bring you cucumber water with a smile- definitely look elsewhere. This is a small very Korean spa where not all the staff are overly nice, or timely- but they get the job done right. The scrubs here are absolutely wonderful. If you are new to Korean nakey spas- and culture- it may be an adjustment and you should read up on it first. You will get yelled at by Ajumma if you get into the pools without showering, and as I have also found out-for putting your towel in the water. They will also yell at you for not rinsing after the sauna if you go back into the pools. Coordinate which scrub/ massage combo you want before you go in and be specific if you want the extras like a massage/oils etc. The lady scrubbers in the back speak very minimal English, so it's best to talk to the front desk. I recommend tipping the scrubber about 20% in cash, and tips overall are expected. Also, pack your patience because the appointments do not run on time. They get to you, basically when they get to you, which is great when it's your turn. The good news is you don't get rushed through your scrub. Only a couple people speak English fully, but there are signs in English. In the women's side there is a steam sauna, dry sauna, clay bead and salt room, cold pool and a hot pool with showers. I have no clue what is on the men's side as everything is segregated. No food is served here but there are plenty of nearby places to eat afterwards if you want. They do have drinks at the front for purchase, and you can pay a basic entry fee just to use the pools and saunas. read more

BRAZEN gay men come here to fulfill their sexual fantasies fulfilled, NOT in private. Note, I have gay friends male and female friends. They are amazing ppl. This experience has nothing to do with being for or against gay rights. This here is just not acceptable in ANY public place. Dear all the folks who are expecting a simple public bathhouse. This place is NOT it, Really! My friend urged me to take me to this place. Although I had my skeptics, I decided to go ahead with the idea bc she wanted to treat me on my bday to get a body scrub and massage. We went to 'Spa Riverside.' It was a beautiful day the past Sat. The weather was perfect, and I was very excited to have a good day. We went inside. The older Korean man who was at the cashier would not clearly explain the process and what to do. Even though I asked him clarifying questions, he'd walk away bc he was busy. Once inside, I started to take my clothes off. I noticed a scrawny gay dude that could not stop staring at me. He even changed his position to be closer to me (to have a better look.) I looked at him and asked him if he knew me or something. He said no, then I told him to stop staring at me. I then got naked and went into the pool area. 5 min in, I saw a black man and a different white guy in the steam room. The white man was performing oral sex to the black man. I freaked the FK out and left the pool area. I got dressed without even washing the chlorine off of my body. I wanted to get out of there as soon as I possibly could. I walked back to the front of the business and saw the older Korean man. I told him what I saw as he went inside to investigate. He told me he knows who they are. There are a bunch of them. He let the gay orgy continue and didn't kick any of them out. I waited for my GF for 3 hours outside until she called me. Then she came out and was pissed at me for complaining. Long story short she was not helping me feel better on my day. This place is disgusting in so many ways. Unwholesome, immoral, and traumatizing to the public expectations. I felt unwelcome and highly uncomfortable. I felt violated on my bday. I'm not particularly eager to write bad reviews, but this was intended to protect whoever comes there to have a good time getting cleaned. I wouldn't want ANYONE to go through what I went through that day. read more

Nice place....relaxing. But you have to walk around completely naked, that's interesting..... Love the heated floors in the co-ed area... Wish they had hamburgers or pizza...lol read more

General - yes, it's much smaller than Spa World and much cheaper. I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty quiet. Lots of signs asking patrons to keep voices low. So here is my story... I went in with a friend looking for body scrubs. I'm a little uncomfortable with how intimate they get (my nipples don't need a scrub, thanks), but it had been a few years since I got one. After some confusing conversation, we each paid our entrance and for our chosen body scrubs. As we were getting undressed in the locker room, my friend heads off to see the front desk lady who has come in. Apparently she beckoned to my friend because she didn't want to talk to me directly. My friend was having none of that. The lady told me that they couldn't give me a body scrub because their massage table could only handle 220lbs... basically that I was too fat for their body scrubs. [Side note - I know this is a blatant lie because I am a massage therapist and I can't find any tables for sale that have working weight limits of less than 500lbs] In an effort to see if they could do it, she went and got the body scrub ladies and brought them into the locker room to talk among themselves an gesture at me. Wow, so inappropriate and humiliating. Obviously I was upset, I came for the body scrub. And I was pissed because we were already in, she could have told me when we checked in. She refunded my body scrub money. I didn't want to deal with leaving and finding another place because I figured it was too much of a pain and I didn't know if this place would refund our money. Needless to say, I will never be going back. read more

I surprised my friend with a traditional Korean Body Scrub at Riverside. After receiving our scrubs, (which she said felt rushed, my scrub was great) we hung around to enjoy the facilities, (hot pool/cold pool and sauna). During our stay, the Korean ladies who performed the scrub badgered my friend and I for a tip the entire time we were there! I counted 4 separate occasions, and my friend was pestered about 4 different times as well! Let me preface this review by saying, I 100% tip the ladies that work there. ABOVE 20%. However, I had planned to do this when I checked out and returned my key. When I bought my concerns to the older Korean man at the front text, he seemed very nonchalant and even said that it was okay for them to badger us about a tip during our stay! That's absolutely absurd. Perhaps in Korea, this is acceptable, but in America, I want to relax without feeling like I need to run with my naked body, out of the pool to fiddle through my belongings with wet hands for a tip. I'm further upset because I'm SURE that she wouldn't badger her Korean counterpart, the way she did us. No. We are not Korean. It feel extremely off-putting and turned a moment of relaxation into awkwardness. Wanted to give this small business a try instead of supporting Spa World, but I'm sorry. This was a no. read more

I love this place! My review is specifically for the ladies side. Joy and Mimi took excellent care of me. I got a full body scrub with massage. The spa is tiny but there is a hot tub, cold plunge pool, steam room, sauna, salt room and meditation room. The spa was very clean and I appreciate how mindful everyone was of maintaining space. It was the perfect way to unwind, my skin feels amazing, and I will definitely be back. read more

This place is worth the price, and the scrub I had there was very good. I have seen some reviews comparing Riverside Sauna to Spa World, but the reviews weren't very detailed. To say that Riverside Sauna is half the price of Spa World isn't completely accurate. Although the price of admission is $15, the amenities are comparable to those in Spa World's wet rooms ($25). Riverside Sauna does not offer poultice rooms, and there is no snack bar. If Spa World is the Ritz, Riverside Sauna feels more like a Motel 6. It has a very utilitarian, rather than luxurious feel. The woman at the front check-in desk made no pretense at being friendly. Her attitude was not at all welcoming, and she never cracked a smile. This may be a cultural thing, but it still made me feel uneasy. After you pay (I paid $30 for a scrub plus $15 admission), the woman gives you a locker key and directs you to the anteroom of the locker area. In this anteroom are small lockers where you must leave your shoes. The locker room is small, but it has what you need: lockers, towels and a toiletries counter. Unlike Spa World, toothbrushes and razors are free for the taking here. You undress, paying heed to the signs that no underwear, swimwear or sandals are allowed in the wet area. You must shower immediately on entering the wet area (before using any of the other facilities.) Riverside Sauna offers both standing and sitting showers, and provides nice toiletries like shampoo and conditioner. After showering, you will notice that the room offers one hot jetted spa that would feel cozy if six people used it at the same time. The jets (I think there are six of them) are powerful, but all the same: aimed mid-back. In the room is also a cold pool, the same size as the jetted spa, with a shower head above, flowing cold water. I think the water in this cold pool must run through some kind of chiller, because it is REALLY COLD! Also in the room are two massage tables. Adjoining the room are a steam room and a dry sauna. After my shower, the attendant directed me to soak in the hot spa to prepare for my scrub. I didn't mind: it felt very good. After a few minutes, the attendant came for me and asked me to lie on the table. You should know that the tables are completely out in the open, without any kind of privacy screen. Since you are undraped during a body scrub, you may feel uneasy if you have body issues. Fortunately, I don't. The attendant did a marvelous job, thoroughly scrubbing everywhere, to within an inch of my... I have had scrubs at Spa World, and they are very good. I think the scrub was a little better at Riverside Sauna, and it was $15 cheaper. As the attendant moved my limbs around to make sure he scrubbed everywhere, I told him that something must have happened to my left side, because I have been unable to move the arm very far without pain. He asked me how long I had the issue (6 months), then said that if it was okay, he would fix it after the scrub. At the end of the scrub, true to his word, the attendant (who is also a massage therapist) massaged my left latissimus dorsi area with the deepest pressure I have ever experienced. I have a high pain threshold, but this was excruciating. At one point, I had to have him stop so I could breathe. Yet, when he was done, I once again had full range of motion. I am very grateful! After the scrub, the attendant paid attention to what I did, directing me to use the steam room, then the cold pool (and insisting that I completely immerse myself), repeat the cycle, then do the same kind of cycle with the dry sauna. I will certainly visit Riverside Sauna again. It does not feel as much like a mini vacation as Spa World does, but it's a good value for a shorter visit. (Since there's not as much to do there, I was ready to leave after 2 hours.) Prices for all of the services Riverside Sauna offers (massage, shiatsu, foot massage, etc.) seemed to be below market rates. Low enough to ignore the somewhat surly front desk lady. Next time I intend to try a massage. read more

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This is my first time going to a Korean spa. It was amazing with both an cold jacuzzi and a hot one as well. The staff was friendly and even let me bring my own food here! I will definitely come again! read more

I couldn't bring myself to go to SPA WORLD again, after hearing about the alleged prostitution and indentured slavery couple months ago. There hasn't been a resolution or followup? Until then, I guess my only option up north is SEOUL SPA, and I recently discovered another option in the south is: RIVERSIDE SAUNA. Riverside is much smaller, but has exactly enough. There's a hot tub with jets, a steam room with pretty strong steam, a sauna room, and two other hot rooms: one salt and one bamboo. They give you a robe, two towels, and a toothbrush. I noticed a LOT of people seem to like the $50 body scrub. It seemed like those scrubbers were continuously working. Must be a sign that they're good. They were older ladies and one of them looked like 80 years old. I would feel kind of bad being scrubbed by such an old lady. My only complaint is that there was only this ONE place to sit and rest outside of the rooms/sauna and it felt really public. I was lying there on my back kind of whimpering because I just hiked all day and came out of one of the really hot rooms, and people were walking by. There was no privacy. Of course, there was no privacy anyway because everyone was semi-naked. The TV was also on and Korean dramas were playing nonstop. I started to get sucked in. There was also a tv in the bamboo room which I felt could be distracting. Otherwise, it was totally fine for only $15, much cheaper than SPAWORLD. read more

I've been coming here consistently for over 15 years. I speak English and Korean so let me settle some common disputes I see in the reviews here, at least for the females. (I was not asked to leave a review, I just want to clear misunderstandings!!) 1. Yea there is a bit of a language barrier, but it's not like the Korean ladies here don't speak any English at all. The staff are all older Korean women and none of them have ill intentions. If you see them looking at you, it's most likely them telling each other that you're a customer who wants a scrub.. that's it. You want a scrub and you're gonna get it. If you want to be extra clear, just point to the word scrub on the sheet of paper on the desk. I've never heard or seen the staff talk negatively about customers behind their backs in all my times here. 2. Noise: this is a smaller sized spa, and I really do NOT recommend bringing a group of friends so you can have a "nice gal spa date". You will all just end up yelling and laughing loudly and everyone will hear the echoes. This is a place that you either come alone or with a close friend, and you both aim to have a peaceful and quiet time in the hot pool or a scrub. Don't take offense that you need to be decently quiet while here - it's called common courtesy at a place like this. 3. Nudity: being naked at a Korean spa is the point - therefore, no one is there to judge you. We just want a nice scrub and move on with our day. What good does it do to make fun of someone's else's body at a nude spa? If you do that, what a waste of precious time. The scrubbing women do get pretty personal with where they scrub, but don't be alarmed. They could care less about what body type you are and what your nipples look like - do you think you're the only customer they see on a daily basis? At first you might be uncomfortable, but once you get into the hot pool, I'm sure you'll own up to your own body and let the ladies do their mastery scrubbing. Sometimes I'm even still shy to this day, but I quickly get used to it. Overall, there's minimal barriers here. If you don't mind the smaller size, just remember to be patient, quiet, and understanding of what another culture brings. If you don't like it, just don't come back then. At least don't bash on another culture as a whole if you experience something negative, which I really doubt would be 100% of the staff's fault. P.s. I personally leave a tip for my scrubber afterwards. The most I've given is $20 just cuz they are doing this all day everyday and it's a lot of work, and my body feels so nice when I leave every single time. read more

IF THEY HAD A ZERO STAR I WOULD GIVE IT. Highly disappointed, the whole place was cold. The water kept getting hot and cold. We were told there was a 2 hour limit at the entrance, pool is closed and that we had to wear a mask in the sauna. As you can see in the pictures we found in the dressing room, there is a 3 hour limit, and no need for a mask in the sauna. There were about 3-4 people in the pool with a sign that clearly said it's closed. So many contradictions and we were constantly harassed with all the comments they made as well as the constant stares. When we got close to our two hour mark, the owner walked back and started spraying alcohol in a bottle near our faces and my mom is highly allergic to strong odors. They all had no regard for Covid restrictions and they came incredibly close to talk to us. No one followed the 6ft apart rule as tried touching our bodies. Just save your time and money and go somewhere else. read more

Spa Riverside - I was forced to come out of the sauna and keep a mask on the whole time when this sign says I do not have to!!! - Massage Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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This spa is my favorite spa since 2010. I can relax there, indulge myself when I have a free time. I have chronic lower back pain since when I was 20 years old from injury. Because of that, I went to so many chiropractor, spa, yoga, so on and so forth. I am really glad that I found spa riverside in Annandale, actually not far from me. I love their sauna, body scrub, hot tub and other hot facilities for sweating. The staff who scrub my body (remove dead skin from me) named "Ire", she is the best. Her hair shampooing is also incredible, I feel like that I stay in stress free zone while I am there. I couldn't take a photo inside, cause people are undressed for using spa. A few things are odd for me. 1) Their hygiene. It is not really clean unless you get there in the morning. Especially evening time, not really clean. Their little basket is not clean, so I must wash them before I use. Also I want to make sure if they are using clean/fresh wash cloth when they scrub. Sometimes I wonder who were using that wash cloth before me. When the staff give me hair shampoo, the brush they are using is put on the floor normally. And then comb my hair without washing it. I want them to put the hair brush on their shelf at least. 2) Noise issue Many people from different races come there. All people speak their own language loudly. It is really auditory pollution. Especially some specific race women chat really loud, I can't stand it. I wish representative or manager explain all customers to keep quite when they come in. 3) Temperature issue While I am laying on the scrubbing table, my body get cold and dried. During winter time, they don't turn on the heat often. During summer time, they turn on A/C in the lobby area, inside the spa is kinda cold. They installed only one air conditioning system for lobby area, locker room area, and inside the spa. So they can not control temperature separately entire building. 4) Walk in only system Somehow they do not allow any reservation through online or call. So I need to go there and get a reservation, sometimes I have to wait more than 3 hours to get busy scrub service. This is odd. I know why they do that. Many people cancel or no show after they make a reservation. But if they pay by credit card when they make a reservation, the cancellation will be decreased a lot. For me, these kinds of issues are inconvenient to handle. However, I love their service. I tried different spas in DMV area but this is the best! Will I go back spa riverside? Absolutely YES! read more

I still think spa world is the best. Pricey but for the peace of mind is worth it. This place is cheap $20. You pay half of what you pay in spa World but also you get half of their services. I didn't like this place much. The place was too small, I don't find it clean and organized and most importantly the service!! People are very unfriendly here. We arrived a bit late to the spa, but they let us in. 20min later, this lady comes every 5min and stands with an attitude and Stare at us rudely... her actions were screaming loudly... GET OUT OF HERE. She also turned off the heat and the room gotten cold and we had to get out. On the way out.. I said thank you.. she didn't look at me and responded with "aha" This was my first and last time at this place! Definitely don't recommend it. read more

Cozy little bathhouse. The owner was nice and helpful and the person that exfoliated me was awesome and did a great job.

It s a nice spa place very pleasing but the only down side of It is that you have to go in naked without under wear witch I think they need to change that rolls but otherwise very relaxing read more

Spa Riverside - Nice place for spa but the only down side is that you have to go in naked without under wear - Massage Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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The Korean Spa I set out the other day to tell the story of the Korean spa but I was so drained of energy and inspiration from my visit there that I failed, so I am trying again. My basic point is this: if you want to see what a post-globalized America is like, you need to try the Korean Spa in the heart of Annandale, Virginia. I dare say that the spa would be there even if it weren't for globalization but it would not be the same. For one thing, I probably would not go there. To begin with, there is nothing familiar about it. I would not even know it was a spa because the signage is in Korean and it is situated behind a Paisano's restaurant accessible by a potholed driveway to a conveniently sized parking lot shared by a newly renovated Korean restaurant. At the counter you pay your $20 and get a key bracelet, a toothbrush and a razor. I just grab the key because I have already showered and shaved. There is a men's side and a women's side so you can see the barriers between the sexes persist into the future when it comes to Korean bath houses. Once inside, there are lockers for your shoes -- in a post-globalized world (PGW) no street shoes will be allowed inside any homes or restaurants. The locker room is clean and spare with signage (in English) asking that you refrain from any activity that might give offense to another customer (seems to cover a multitude of sins and might be good advice for any venue). Once you are undressed and about to enter the bath room, you are advised that no swim suits or any other accessory other than a towel (provided) are allowed -- and no photography nor cell phones. On a busy day, you realize what globalization really means. Every color, shape, size, age, weight, race, ethnicity, language can be found with nothing more than what God gave them at the moment of their birth. Etiquette requires that you not react, even when you see something quite unusual or even spectacular. There is a studied indifference you need to perfect, not staring, nor even looking but of course you can see everything and it has an amazing effect on you. Perhaps it is the hot bath at 110° that melts away your prejudices and if that doesn't do it, a plunge in the cold bath might help counter the inflammation from allergies to alien associations. I highly recommend a turn in the sauna that reminds me of my time in Helsinki where everyone, men and women, come together in the sauna to sweat out their toxins and then wash them away with a soak in the Baltic Sea. Naked people - you come to realize - are just people with the same aches and pains, the same tendencies to over indulge and the same needs for the solace that warmth can provide from without and from within. The keynote of this entire experience is wellness. It comes from the cultural dimensions that emphasize positive practices that have been handed down over the centuries to people who follow them out of habit or embrace them as the elixir that will give them the holy grail: a long and healthy life. It starts with cleanliness. The walls are lined with showers and if you don't like to stand, there are stools you can sit on while you wash and shave and brush your teeth as the water runs down into the drains along the walls. There are signs advising you to shower before entering the baths and best practice calls for a shower between baths and sessions in the sauna and steam rooms to wash off any sweat along with the accumulated toxins that flow freely from the pores. I have never spoken more than a word, or a grunt, to anyone but the Koreans often exchange comments in their own language. I imagine that the men who look like veterans may have first experienced a sauna fighting in the Korean war as they move with ease among the treatments with their tattoos glistening. There are bodies that I admire and those that make me proud of my commitment to portion control. I am struck by a large protruding stomach matched by a rather smallish ass that reminds me of an old adage I like to repeat when faced with comments about my ample base: 'you cannot drive a spike with a tack hammer.' In the end, you enter a kind of netherland where all the cares and woes of the day seem to melt away with the aches and pains of exercise or lack thereof. You feel a certain community of goodwill among the bros who share your commitment to finding a non adversarial way to resolve their distress. I think about the play where God is a bath house attendant and wonder if I haven't found the place where heaven and earth come together in a post globalized world. read more

Came here yesterday and so glad I did. Much smaller than spa world and very clean. I didn't get the scrub but noticed they drastically increased the price - $50-$60. There are 2 saunas of varying intensities, a mudroom (can't wait to try this next visit), a heated pool and a cool pool. You get a robe, towel and toothbrush (random). For now, this will be my go-to spot since its closer and cheaper than spa world. read more

Your typical mogyoktang: one hot tub, one cold tub, steam room and sauna. There are NO poultice rooms. Body scrubs are performed out in the open. Massages are performed in a room off to the side. It's not the place where you'd want to spend more than a few hours. I have to say that the body scrub and massage (total time, ~90 minutes) are probably the best I've ever received..and a bargain at only $80. At Spa World, you pay $75 for a 45 minute massage/body wash. Unlike at Spa World, patrons are mostly Korean, but everyone was friendly, and I didn't experience any communication problems. I'd definitely return. read more

This place used to be called Riverside Sauna but it seems to have changed its name to Spa Riverside. I had been here several years ago and I considered it to be a cheaper dumpier version of Spa World. I heard that it was recently closed for renovations and I decided to check it out to see if anything changed. In the men's area it seems that the locker area was slightly renovated/rearranged but unfortunately nothing changed in the wet areas other than the shower heads may have been replaced. Everything else in the wet area looks just as tired and worn as it did the last time I was here. The cost to enter increased to $20 and the cost for a scrub is $30. I elected for a scrub since its $20 cheaper than Spa World. The scrub was fairly rough as it should be and I saw lots of dead skin on the table that had been scrubbed off of me. Following the scrub the attendant gave me a shampoo, washed me all over with a soapy cloth and then finished me off with a short and somewhat rough/painful massage (this was expected). Everything was great, however all throughout the session I smelled cigarette smoke coming off of the attendant. The website mentions that the clientele has access to salt rooms, red clay rooms, and seated herbal steam therapy rooms but it doesn't mention that those are for women only. I wonder if men pay less since they don't have all of the amenities that women do. read more

This place is awesome! Very traditional Korean style, exactly what I was looking for when I had several hours to kill before my flight back home! I told the receptionist that I wanted a body scrub, so I paid $45 for my entry fee and the scrub (there's a sale going on now, $15 entry versus the usual $20). Coming here made me remember going to Korean saunas with my mom when I was a kid - I hadn't been to one in over 10 years. After bathing and sitting in the hot/cold pools for about an hour, I was then lead to a massage table in the area to get scrubbed down. It was supposed to be for 45 minutes, but I think it went for over an hour. It was THOROUGH. I think she took off pounds of dead skin! It was almost like getting a brazilian wax (they get really up and in there), except instead of a wax you're getting a scrub! And there were moments when I had to tell her that it hurt since she kept scrubbing the same areas over and over again. But it was the best body scrub I've ever had!! She even washed my hair for me in the end which was awesome. There's nothing more relaxing than having someone massaging your head/washing your hair. I would DEFINITELY go back if ever in the area again! And so cost effective compared to Spa World! read more

No appointments, just first-come first-serve scrubs and other bath-house offerings (masks, shampoo/head massage, etc.). Follow your GPS of choice to get there (it's to the right of and behind Jerry's Subs). Thankfully there were two friendly, middle-aged guys hanging out in the parking lot who directed me where to park and confirmed that I was in the right place. My friends and I payed our $15 entrance fee and each signed up for a $30, 45-minute scrub. We all wanted to get scrubbed at the same time and were told we would have to wait an hour and shouldn't soak for more than 30 minutes at a time. OK. We were given 3 small towels, a light robe, and a toothbrush (?). Then we were shown where to put our shoes and where our lockers were. Scheduling was a little loose (my scrub lasted almost an hour, one of my friend's scrubs started 20 minutes late, but also got some extra time, and my other friend said her scrub was only OK and a slightly rushed feeling (she didn't look at the time). I think the other friend's scrub wasn't as good because she didn't take off all her jewelry (rings and earnings), just her glasses before her scrub. In a Russian banya that screams n00b, maybe in Korean bath houses too. Russian style directions (3-5 hours): Shower before entering the pools, that means soap, not just a quick rinse! Dunk in the cold pool, soak in the hot pool until you can't any more, then dunk in the cold pool again, rinse and get scrubbed. Shower again, but don't towel off, sit in the sauna until your skin prickles. Rise off, eat snacks in the little lounge area, repeat minus scrub x-infinity. End with a cat-nap in the salt room and then shower with soap, shampoo, etc. NOW you can get ready for major date night! I've never been to a Korean sauna before, but it's not unlike the ones I've been to in Eastern Europe when visiting family (no branches though, bummer). Men and women have totally separate areas. That's great, because patrons should be 100% naked. The scrub mistresses wear black bra and panties (why not a swim suits?!). You get over it in a few minutes, alternatively leave your glasses/contacts in the locker room and you'll be fine. BRING WATER AND LIGHT SNACKS and maybe your own shampoo. I wish I'd brought my own shampoo and condition, but only because I turned out to be allergic to the stuff they used (Suave with macadamia nut oil). My hair smelled and felt GREAT, but my whole upper body was covered in hives an hour after leaving. Oops. My fault for not paying attention/checking ingredients. Next time, I'll bring my own shampoo/conditioner. Word to the wise, man-scape/lady-scape at home. Shaving in the open shower area is gross. Also, be prepared for the scrub mistress to pay more attention to your pantie line than you're accustomed to. Apparently that area can take the extra attention, but only if you relax and don't get too tense or it will just be uncomfortable. read more

Based on previous review by Mary decided to give it shot instead of the time watchers of normal spas. All the frills inside, though basic of sauna/steam room, etc. Did get the body scrub which lasted more like 30 mins instead of 20. And the hour massage which ran over time maybe because they were not busy. I asked for a hard shiatsu and got it. I'm still sore but the guy worked out every knot I had. So if you want a lil off the beaten path and great value for the time, give it a shot. read more

I feel bad writing this. The experience itself was good. I went to a different spa in the area about a year ago (which was my first time at a Korean sauna/spa) and decided try Riverside Sauna last week because it's $20 cheaper than the other place and has good reviews on Yelp. I was scrubbed and massaged for about 2 hours and left felling great. I raved to my mom on how thorough the lady was and how she used a oil and milk on me and left feeling soft all over. HOWEVER - I don't know if the scrubbers she used were dirty or I had bad reaction to one of the products (shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, body wash, oil, milk?), but my skin has been itchy for a week now. Everywhere. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. No peeling or anything but whatever area I scratch ends up breaking out in hives. I've been moisturizing like crazy to no avail. So annoying but I'm thankful that the hives go away and I don't look like a leper. Yes, it could be worse...but it could also be better! Anyway, in conclusion... in terms of service, it was great and I have no complaints. I got a petite Korean grandma and she massaged the hell out of my knots. I do think that because of the cheaper price, more people come here; I went in the morning on a weekday and there were already several women there and they kept coming in. Which is not a big deal. All shapes and sizes come in, no one talks to each other, everyone minds their own business. I don't have sensitive skin per say, but if you do, you may want to look into their products, or ask if you can bring you own. I gave it 2 stars "Meh, I've experienced better" because I have - I didn't break out in hives for a week the last time I had a Korean scrub/massage! read more

There are three main reasons why I would come here. 1) As of right now (summer of 2014), I feel like I get better body scrubs here than in Spa World. Not only is it cheaper (admission + scrub + tip @Riverside = just the scrub @ SW, though tip is already included), the service also seems more thorough and slightly longer as well. I really feel I get a deal here. 2) There's a real steam room here. Not just a really hot and moist room that doesn't have any steam. 3) It's closer. But if I want the whole relaxation, escape, and getaway feeling, I still turn to SW. This place is small, and on the men's side, there really isn't much. If I really want to indulge, I actually would go to both places in one day - this place for the scrub, then SW to lounge, eat, and snooze. read more

Just a few corrections from my first review years back. I learned, on my own, that this place is not called a jimjilbang, but a mogyoktang. A mogyoktang is merely a bathhouse without the luxuries of a jimjilbang (e.g. restaurant, clay saunas, fitness room. ). This is still my go to spot to relax and regroup my thoughts. Currently, the place is closed for renovation until the end of this month. Pretty excited about the changes. #FanBoyMoment. Stay tuned. read more

This is a decent Korean style sauna, and it's totally worth the $15 entry. It is on the small side, but equipped with a sauna, cold pool, a few warms pools and a steam room. On the day I went, unfortunately, the sauna was not very warm (despite many complaints to the front from patrons). The steam room was a bit better. And indeed, this was also a cultural experience -- never have I ever seen several cartons of eggs in a sauna -- with the intention of cooking those eggs so they could later be consumed! You cannot make reservations for scrubs or body services, and we arrived late afternoon, at which point there was a 3 hour wait for any type of service. I would recommend arriving early if you'd like additional services. Definitely okay and worth a stop if you want a quick, inexpensive sauna experience in the area. read more

This place is misleading. Very unhappy. No music nothing like a SPA. Everyone is just walking around freely BUT the employees hassle you over tipping (even when your gonna tip) it doesn't seem sanitized at all. First time going to this play and my last time going to this place. Everyone is cloth-less but it's very uncomfortable! read more