My hairdresser is located inside. Alejandro Rocha fabulous. He is so capable and pleasant. Wish he would come to Las Vegas . He is very experienced does adults and children hair. Call him read more

Vivian saved my nails! I had been going to the same salon for 6yrs in my old neighborhood and was disappointed with my last visit. I popped in and made an appointment for later that day not only because I couldn't stand looking at my current polish but conveniently wanted a new and closer salon in Noe. Vivian did such an amazing job!! The overall experience was fantastic - clean, efficient, great customer service and reasonable prices. I am so happy to have found my new spot! read more

The Upper Hand - Nails by Vivian - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Made a reservation online and arrived right at the beginning of my time. It seems like they were expecting me but were also surprised to see me They have a variety of option for pedicures and I chose the upper hand option, it was definitely worth the price. I felt very taken care of. The vibe was a little awkward, it was my first time so I wasn't sure how everything operated here but they expected me to anticipate their moves. Would come back! read more

This review is for their service more than the quality. Twice now I have made appointments in advance and twice they have turned me away once I arrive. This time I had my 5 year old daughter with me for Mother's Day and she was devastated. We got in somewhere else but really terrible customer service to confirm an appointment, plan your day around it, just for them to turn you away. Beware read more

End results.. very nice nails. Would love to give 5 star, but just uncomfortable overall experience. I was randomly driving by this shop and decided to call to see if could schedule a fill. First thing was couldn't get a clear answer on the cost. Second thing, I really appreciate when same person handles my hands from start to finish. That's not what happened. Third, between switching technicians two nails missed the needed buffing. Couldn't see this until polish was set, but when I brought to the techs attention... the first response was to blame the color I chose. Then the second lady comes and blames my thin cuticles on why the buffing wasn't done correctly. No!. turns out original lady was able to file/ buff out the bumps and all was fine. It shouldn't have required me repeatedly saying, "look these two nails are bumpy". And the techs shouldn't try blaming the customer for their mistake. I do appreciate the end results, but was a bit of a pill process. The women are working hard as the customers were non-stop, just need to take responsibility when there is a break down in the communication between techs. Sharine read more

The Upper Hand - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I've waited to write this review because I wanted to know the extent of damage done to my nails. I came in over a month ago for a simple service: removal of soft gel and a basic manicure. The woman who did my nails DRILLED THE GEL OFF. It was horrifying. The entire service was sloppy and distracted, with bits of hair stuck in the horribly applied clear polish. With the slightest pressure, my nails bend and have been breaking for weeks with little improvement. Don't come here. My nail beds have started to recede where the tips have chipped. Even when I overdid acrylics, the damage was never this bad. read more

I my gel nails by Joann at The Upper Hand in Noah Valley. Check them out after 10 days. Just booked my next appointment! read more

The Upper Hand - I my Gel nails from Joann at The Upper Hand in Noe Valley. Check them out after 10 days. Just booked my next appointment. - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice salon, helpful staff. Kim is wonderful. Never hurts and does a great job on pedicure and massage.

Had to visit again because I loved the nails Joanne did for me last time! I honestly didn't know what design I really wanted, just had an idea of a color I kind of liked and Joanne came up with this really cute design for me! She was so kind & patient with me, and was very fast. So happy with the outcome, can't wait to come back! read more

The Upper Hand - ombré + design by Joanne - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

If I could give zero stars I would. My love went in as a new customer and was treated like a nuisance. The workers didn't help pick out the colors and made her feel like she was not welcome. We booked online and the classic manicure said it included aroma therapy and they didn't honor this. It was an overpriced and not pleasant experience. Avoid this place at all costs!!! read more

The Upper Hand - False advertisement - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Based on the great reviews I decided to get gel refills at Upper Hand rather than a much less expensive place in the same area. I was a "walk in" and happy they could take me right away. The gal that did my nails was meticulous with her work. She spent quality time on each and every nail. I was there for an hour and a half. My place on the east coast completes me in 1 hour. However, as mentioned this nail girl took her time on each and every nail. Beautiful job. It is an interesting concept as they don't sit you opposite from them on a table. You are seated in a big oversized comfy recliner type chair. A pillow is placed on your lap with a hand towel draped across. The technician sits on a lower stool to the side of the chair and kinda uses the arm of the chair to do the work. This is very different than what I am use to on the east coast. I saw a lady getting a pedicure and a big giant bowl filled with water was placed on the bottom of the chair where the base of the chair slides out like a drawer. I think I like this set up better than sitting at the table. Felt more "spa like" and personal. So the reason for 4 star rather than a 5? Price. When I called I could have sworn I was told $50. The other place nearby quoted me $45 but as mentioned earlier I figured with the great reviews the $5 dollar difference was ok. When I went to pay I was told $60. Hmm. Jeez. Now that is rediculous. I know I am in Noe Valley but even at $50 is a bit much for refills. Based on that I will try a different place next time. There is no shortage of nail salons within a five mile radius. Who knows I may circle back bc my nails are beautiful. read more

The Upper Hand - Meticulous work. Love my nails. - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

$29 for one of the worst manicures I've received. Every single one of my nails has a second coat that has not been evenly applied and shows the coat underneath. read more

Love love love! Beautiful work every time. Everyone is so sweet. They really look out for the health of your nails too. read more

The Upper Hand - My go-to nail spot in SF! They treat their clients like family - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been going to the Upper Hand since 2022, I would always make appointments and it was never an issue. More recently, I feel like the appointment times have become optional for them and no longer honored. read more

I booked a 2:00 appointment because I needed to be out at a certain time. I sat in a chair for 25 minutes before anyone came en came over to me. And then they told me to come back another time because they wouldn't have time to get me out in the 40 minutes left I had in window to get this done. If they started on time, it would take have been an issue. I can understand being busy, but you should prioritize appointments because people make them for a reason. There is also absolutely no reason to be so rude to the customer when you are the one who dropped the ball. I've been coming here for a year now and will not be back. read more

I was grateful to be attended after a much needed mani and pedi. My usual spot was very busy so they did not have time to service me. I should up late morning on a Saturday and they were able to accept my walk-in. It was not busy and the place itself is very minimalist. I gave three stars because I enjoy getting designs but they only do super simple beginner stuff. I also gave three stars because my gel manicure and pedicure came out to $110 which is more than I'm used to paying. Typically I pay less than that with design down the street. They also placed a warm pillow thing on your neck which at first I thought was a nice detail but later realized my hair smelled like burnt seeds because of the warm pillow. The manicure and pedicure alone were good/okay though. Would I go back? It's not the place for me. read more

On Saturday evening right in the midst of the rain my friend and I decided to give this place a try. It wasn't what I was used to - spa chairs and sink bowls. This place was nice. They provided extension comfort. Big chairs - lots of pillows. My nails were a mess I was embarrassed by how bad I had let them get. The ladies recommend switching from acrylics to dip powder and now I'm reminded the reason I like dip powder. My nails look cared for and very natural. The color was perfect. The service was amazing. They were attentive and provide quality services. They were also very quick and efficient. I live in Oakland - but would come back here. So glad we stumbled upon the read more

The Upper Hand - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm here for a week for work and was desperately in need of a manicure. I'm staying close by and looked at a bunch of different places and this one stood out for its no-nonsense website and ease of booking. Let me tell you - the service was better than I could have imagined. Everyone was nice. I showed the woman my inspiration photo and she went and picked all the colors for me so that I could rest after walking. They were absolutely perfect. Now my nails are nice, I got a little people time in, and I am more relaxed than ever. Cannot recommend the folks at Upper Hand enough! read more

The Upper Hand - Best manicure I've had in a while - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Joanna was fabulous! I love my new nails. Scheduling the appointment online was super easy. An hour and a half was allocated for my appointment. There was no rushing and my nails have never looked better! The Upper Hand is definitely my new nail place! read more

The Upper Hand - COLOR: 24 . Cat eye effect. - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I love Upper Hand!! I have been going here for years for my nails. The salon is super cute, clean, and friendly. Joanne is the best and does an amazing job (see the photo!) read more

The Upper Hand - Ombre nails! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

My daughter and I came in for a pedi , we did make an appointment but saw someone walk in for one too . The ladies here were so nice and sweet . Very reasonable priced . Price shellac nails40-60 Services Pedicure read more

I called and spoke to Ann, the manager or owner? about some specific pedicure requests. She was extremely patient and helpful. I can't comment on the pedicure because I had to cancel, unfortunately, but I was very impressed with Ann and will reschedule! Thanks! read more

Sadly my experience here was pretty mid, primarily because the manicure itself just wasn't as even and precise as I'd like, both in the shaping and the paint. Overall the service is fine but nothing spectacular, and the environment is average. I would go back, but not as my first choice. read more

I've been coming here regularly for years and consistently get great manicures and pedicures. Everyone on staff is friendly and skilled. I occasionally bring my kids with me, and the staff is always welcoming and kind to them too. It's my favorite nail salon in SF! read more

The 5th nail salon I've tried in Noe Valley and finally my favorite! Very relaxing and not overly crowded. Extremely nice staff. They put lemons in the pedicure tub and give you a heated neck pad when you sit down. Great gel selection as well! Will certainly be coming back! read more

The Upper Hand - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Been wanting to try The Upper Hand since it opened on 24th and happy to say now after two visits I am very pleased! First visit was simple pedicure and it was a busy day at the salon but they took good care to be meticulous. The polish lasted a long time! Came back again for a mani pedi and this time opted for the Upper Hand Pedi which comes with paraffin. It was so marvelous! They took good care of me, thank you Joann! read more

They always do a very nice job and the salon is clean. The staff is nice and accommodating. I would definitely recommend a visit. Book online easily. read more

My go-to nail spot! The ladies are super friendly and great at their craft. Attached pics are the last two set of nails I've gotten and they last me a month. I am a new regular. Thank you Ann and team! read more

The Upper Hand - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Tried out a purple ombré this time. The last ombré dip manicure lasted 5 weeks (I only had it redone because my nails grew too long for me)! read more

See all

I had a great French pedi in this lovely nail salon. Very clean and good quality. My toes look fabulous. Will be be back in a few weeks. read more

The Upper Hand - Great French pedi. - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Everyone here do an amazing job on my manicures. Joanne really did a spectacular job on this "cat eye" gel manicure. I love this place read more

The Upper Hand - "Cateye" gel manicure - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Such a wonderful, relaxing, and detail oriented spot. My daughter got the best designs on her nails! And my dip powder manicure is perfect! read more

The Upper Hand - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

My experience was wonderful and pleasant. Hannah, the owner, communicated well about the services they do and do not provide as I ask many questions and curious about certain things. The staff were very friendly and in awe of their great work which feels great when they're happy with their skills. I think their pricing is worth the service because of how comfortable you feel the whole time in their big sofa chairs and cleanliness of the shop. I had a hang nail that was painful and they took great care right away. Also I noticed they asked if the hot stones and towels were too hot and made sure I wasn't going to be uncomfortable. I will definitely be back. My experience was fantastic! read more

The Upper Hand - Gel mani with matte coat and cute design - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

They just went green. One of the only Salons in the City to do so. They also have cool sparkle colors. read more

Lovely mani and pedi with a friend. Cute area with lots of restaurants and shopping options too! read more

The Upper Hand - Lucia! beautiful mani!! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

love coming here. the ladies are so kind and attentive. Joanne is an artist - she saw my outfit and just added to it. read more

See all

Amazing service! I've found my new go to SF nail salon. Called in last minute to see if they had time for a Dip Mani. They took me right away. This is the best dip mani I've ever had. And I'm super picky. Usually most salons apply the powder too think and it looks very unnatural and bumpy. Not the upper hand. Perfect application and super shiny finish! Plus a great hand massage. For some reason most salons don't do a hand massage with dip mani's. Can't wait to come back and get a pedi. read more

The Upper Hand - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good: clean, lots of colors, they're really nice on a slow day. I want to give more stars Bad: don't go here when it's busy even if they say they can squeeze you in- that's what happened to me and my gel lasted a week and there was an air bubble she ignored bc she didn't have time and had other customers. By squeezing everyone in, they spend less time while you pay 10-15% more than neighboring stores for services. They hurried me to pick a color and it came out baby pink instead of white-pink that I wanted (you know what I mean if you get nails done enough). Being rushed = poor job. They're nice and I'm sure they do a good job if you go at an off hour but I wish they respected reservations and didn't hurry their clientele when this is "higher end" than other places nearby read more

I wish I had a better experience, but unfortunately I was pretty disappointed with my manicure. I booked 3 appointments: for myself and 2 friends on a Friday morning. We got in quickly, which was great, but the whole process in getting all 3 of us set-up kept getting prolonged because the person doing my nails kept pausing to talk to people trying to do walk-ins. All 3 of us were staggered in starting our nails, which meant that 1 or 2 of us were always either waiting at the end or at the beginning. It didn't feel like having the appointments really mattered, or perhaps it was naive for me to think we'd all start and end at the same time. I ended up getting a gel manicure, and these were going to be the nails for my wedding the next day. We let the manicurist know, not to be demanding but because we were excited. However, the experience wasn't great for primarily 2 reasons: 1) they switched manicurists on me halfway through my session; and 2) both manicurists managed to cut into my skin on two different nails, and both unfortunately on my left hand. One nail couldn't stop bleeding, and I left the salon still bleeding as we had to leave for something else (which, again, the session ran over because they staggered our appointments). It was honestly a bit frustrating to have to worry about cleaning the cut and making sure it didn't get infected before my wedding day since there were obviously going to be photos of my nails. They were clearly very busy and perhaps understaffed. I will say that the second manicurist was apologetic, and it is possible that they were having an off day since the reviews here seem to be generally good; but sadly the experience wasn't pleasant and I wouldn't go back again. read more

I came here to get a hard gel manicure and they did a perfect job. I'm very picky about where I go because I have long natural nails. The woman who did my nails was friendly and talented and the salon itself was clean and relaxing. I would recommend to anyone! read more

The Upper Hand - Fall manicure - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all