Funny how some of the other posts talk about no shows or cancelled appointments...because its true. I usually don't write reviews but I needed to because of how RUDE the owner was to me. I ordered two no chips manicures through GILT City Chicago. Usually love that website as they have great deals on nice places in the city (food, spas, etc). I showed up to the appointment and was immediately turned away. She said I had not confirmed an appointment. I have text messages from the owner confirming my appointment over a week in advance (I had even called to confirm as well). I asked her who's number the text messages were from and she said it was another person who worked there. I asked where the manager was and she said that "she was the manager and was the only person who worked there"....which was confusing as she just told me someone else texted me to confirm the appointment. I was extremely disappointed by her customer service, her help in general, and how rude she was to me. She was literally laughing in my face.... She did not give me other options for another time or day. I had brought my friend along for a birthday surprise and was completely embarrassed!! We also had to trek all the way out to Wicker Park when we live fairly far from that area. We get there and we are turned away...what a waste. This salon is also not luxurious in my eyes from purchasing from GILT. It is in one of those cheap looking Salon spaces where you rent out booths. I don't care if I don't get my money back from GILT. I would rather throw it away than try to come back here. read more

They cancelled my appointment and did not send any type of notification. I wasted my time, paid for parking, and gas. Absolutely unacceptable as they charge for last minute cancellations but will do nothing when it's their fault. read more

I've been coming to Tokyo for over a year now religiously!!!! My real nails have never been healthier!! Nomin and Nomundari are so talented, true artists! They're using the best products and have their own nail polish line. This is a top notch boujee manicure that's well worth the price. They last me at least 4 weeks! Love Tokyo so much!!!!!! read more

These folks are rude and their work has gone downhill They attempt to hide their negative Yelp reviews Worse yet? They do NOT WEAR masks per COVID protocols They do not care They are overcharging and under delivering Do not come here read more

Similar to what others have said, I was a long time and loyal customer - maybe 5 years. Followed these amazing technicians from location to location and even went to their home at one point. Also experienced the lateness and long wait times, but tolerated it because they were so nice and provided a quality service. However, the quality slowly declined over time and I verbalized these concerns. When I tried to hold this business accountable for addressing my concerns in a professional manner I was ostracized and my upcoming appt was canceled with the excuse "We are currently out of space. Location in Lincoln Park is closed due to pandemic building is closed. I am not able to take you this Monday." This cancellation was this week, mid-March 2021, not earlier in the pandemic. Yet there were open appointments the day before, open for appts that same day, and open appts the day after. I'm just so disappointed that, as a loyal customer, I was treated this way. read more

I follow this place on Instagram and instantly loved their posts. They're a bit on the pricer side so when I had seen a Gilt City being offered a few months ago, I was really excited. I purchased the Gilt City Voucher and booked a time slot. 45 minutes before my scheduled time, they canceled on me. I find it extremely rude considering that's how long it would take me to get there but thankfully I didn't waste my time heading there. I only get my nails professional done about once a year so today I thought "why not splurge and pamper myself". I decided to try this place again but this time book through their online system. I booked a time for 1:30pm and when I walk in at 1:20pm, the woman gives me a confused look. I wasn't sure if this place was closed today because there was only one worker inside so I say "I have an appointment at 1:30pm". She goes "oh, oh, really?" I proceed to tell her that I booked it online and put my credit card information in to reserve it. She tells me that she's with another customer right now and says "Sorry". She also asks me if I could come back later. I tell her that I cannot and I would like for her to cancel my appointment because I believe when I confirmed the appointment, there was a cancellation charge disclaimer and I don't want to be charged. After these two experiences, I won't bother with this place anymore. I was really looking forward to getting a mani/pedi today from this place but lesson learned. read more

Today I went to Illuminate for a no chip after purchasing a Gilt City voucher for two no chips. They had a pretty good amount of options as far as color choices--lots of OPI. My appointment was a 11am and I was able to get started a little early which was nice. Nomin did a great job--she was meticulous in shaping my nails and in applying polish. My nails look great and she exceeded my expectations, I am excited to see how well they will last. I will definitely request Nomin next time! Street parking was easy as well, which is always a plus. The only reason I didn't give a full five stars is because the salon itself seems like they are still adjusting to the space. I had gone to the same location when it was Hush Salon and there were hair stations in the front, today there was not much in the front and I'm sure that with time they will expand and take full advantage of the space. When I was asked to rinse my hands the sink I used was in the middle of the back without soap to use, which I'm not sure if this actually matters for no chips or not. The layout was unusual, but this is clearly secondary to the quality service I received today. I am excited to return for my second no chip and perhaps see if any updates are made by then. read more

She did a nice job, but I asked for dip nails. I got gel nails. If you don't offer the service-- just say that.

My fiancé used this service after I purchased her a gift card to get her nails done. They quoted her one price and then charged her double. She tried to resolve it and even showed them the quote they created for the exact service received from them. I called them and emailed them multiple days in a row and no one had the decency to reach back out. Highly disappointed at the lack of customer service. read more

I showed up for a 7am appointment with a guest that I prepaid in advance for with a 20% tip. At 7:15 after I had called several times and no one showed up, I finally got a hold of someone who said they were still 15 minutes away and it would be best to cancel the appointment. Really unfortunate because I really wanted to support this business, but the customer service and blatant disregard of time was so disappointing. I won't be going back. read more

I been going to them for 3 years and I am satisfied every single time. My favorite nails techs!!

This salon was actually worse than bad for a blowout! Do not go here. They damaged my hair with no more than sorry as a response. So frustrating! read more

ok so i left there pleased with my nails.. but two weeks later i have to review. i got gel nails with tips.. they didn't even last two weeks before they started lifting. for the price they charge.. i would expect these to last 3-4 weeks. i have had gel nails last 4 weeks before. i wasnt greeted when i walked in.. just stood there awkwardly until someone finally looked up and told me to sit down. they were clearly overbooked and off schedule.. another client came in while i was getting my nails done and waited a long time until the three nail techs scrambled to get her completed, leaving me hanging while they tried to catch up double teaming to get her out the door. this place is great at nail art.. but the customer service and efficiency is lacking. will go back to my usual place. read more

I was looking for a salon with a capability to do nail art. I booked my appointment online and also sent in the nail art I wanted done, they messaged me back saying that was possible. I showed up to my appointment on time and they didn't start working on my nails for another 30 mins. During my visit, a visibly upset customer came in and expressed her concerns with the professionalism of this salon. I didn't really think much of it at the time. The end result of my nails was not close to what I had showed them, even though I kept asking the tech to review the picture again. My no chip also only lasted 8 days and I paid $90 total :/ read more

The owner here stinks (figuratively and literally)! This lady who smelled like she hadn't showered in 10 days refused to honor a discount that was promised. This penny-pinching shop offers discounts and when you get in they say it's not valid, then act like they're high-society (dude you work in a nail salon). They text their discounts so they have a way to worm out of them when they don't want to honor them (plus too cheap to use a formal website). Anyway...would highly recommend staying away from here. read more

My friend had made an appointment weeks in advance for both of us, and we were rushing to get there to be on time. Once there, the place was spacious and had cute decor, but the door was open and no a/c on so it was pretty hot in there. There were 3 employees who ignored us for a while until one of them asked if we had an appointment (which clearly was not too important to them since it was since past the appointment time before they even greeted us) and that we could pick nail colors. There was one futon that my friend and I sat on for about 15 minutes, just waiting. Another customer walked in about 15 min after us and she was just standing there waiting as well. The employee greeted her with a "hi" and end of conversation. After some minutes of waiting, one guy employee told my friend and I to sit on the massage chairs, which seems to be their way of buying time while we wait into the abyss of infinite nail salon wait-time BS. The guy employee started on my friend's pedi, and then switched to mine, and then back to her, and back to mine again, as if he was playing a game of musical chairs by himself with a bunch of Shawn Mendes Youtube music videos playing on their TV. He did not seem to know how to do the nail polish, so another employee had to take over for my friend and me. They seemed to be rushing by this time. After the pedicures, the employee again asked if we had an appointment because they don't have a record of it. At this point, we had been there for well over an hour, almost two, so I'm not sure why they were now all of a sudden questioning our appointment. The employee then had the audacity to say since they had no record of our appointment, they were going to finish the other customers that came about half an hour after us first. Umm, whose fault is that? Another hour passed by, and we were still on the massage chairs, butts hurting; it was getting sunnier and hotter by the minute, Shawn Mendes music videos still playing; it was getting ridiculous. Finally, the ladies (again, who came in AFTER us) were done, and it was our turn to get manicures. It was fine, except when the lady finished mine, she immediately started texting on her phone underneath the table without saying anything whether I was done or not. Super weird. We had already been there for 3.5 hours. Yikes. The day after, both my friend's and my nails were already chipping. By the second day, my friend's ring finger nails were gone. They did not last at all. In summary: if you are planning to go, prepare to be told you don't have an appointment, be ignored for a while by not-so-friendly staff, and wait for hours and hours only to have your nails chip within a 24-hour period. Also wanted to add: the description of the place on Yelp literally states it is "by appointment only" so I am not sure why the owner has been claiming we did not make an appointment... read more

Honestly Nomundari is a sorceress because she transformed my feet with just one pedicure. The shop is super cute, and they take late appointments. I got to hang with the coolest Nurse Practitioner who was post call. I went on a Friday night at 8:30pm. The most fun I've had in a long time. Excited to bring my girlfriends for a chill night. read more

Love this place! I've been twice and had great experiences. Super friendly, creative and beautiful work.

Came here for an event with Chicago Bulldog Rescue, was blown away by this salon! It's beautiful, the owner was so friendly and did great work on manicure, and their dog friendly!! Love it read more

The ONLY place I will get my nails done. These girls are true artist and I have never found such high quality treatment and service. My no chips easily last 3 weeks and don't need to be redone until they are growing out. I am seriously ruined for other nail salons and can never stray. This is truly the best nail salon. They have earned their cult following of regular clientele. Absolutely amazing. read more

I have been to Illuminate twice with my pup Cooper and we both love it here! The girls are so accommodating and very good at what they do. They take their time and pay attention to detail. There's nothing I hate worse than going to a nail salon, getting someone different each time and walking out with bad shaping or a bad paint job. The salon is clean and the tools are sterilized. Try Illuminate! You will not be disappointed. read more

New favorite place. I've been twice with my doggo, and he also loves it! First visit, my roommmate and I got no chip mani & pedis. The pedi has lasted 2.5 weeks so far, and the mani didn't chip but started to grow out so I got it redone after 2 weeks because I loved the experience! I also got my haircut as part of the beauty package special and it turned out really well. They even gave me some wavy curls after it was done, which hair salons typically don't do for me, so that was extra fun. Definitely would recommend. Its a super comfortable atmosphere and I enjoy talking to Nomi and Nomun!. Will be back :) read more

Best nail salon in Chicago! The girls here as smart, sweet, funny, talented, and detail oriented. Everytime I come in with a nail design they take painstaking care to make sure I get exactly what I want. Best nail salon I've ever been to!! read more

I'm new to the area and I was in desperate need of a no chip mani/regular pedi. I stumbled upon this super chic salon that was walking distance from my house! I called for an appointment and they were able to squeeze me in. Upon arrival, 2 really sweet girls welcomed me and offered me a delicious raspberry tea. Overall service was top notch and probably one of the best no chip manicures I've ever gotten. Also dog friendly! I will definitely be back! read more

I went here last night with a Groupon for a no-chip manicure and regular pedicure. The nail technician did such an amazing job. I haven't had my nails painted this neat in a very long time. I'm excited to see how long it lasts. I would definetely recommend! read more

We came all the way from Plainfield to try this salon and I'll be coming back for sure! The place was clean and the staff was extremely friendly. On top of being dog friendly, I can't say enough great things about here. Highly recommend!! read more

Horrible. Gel manicure lasted about two days, unclean, cold space. They may have long hours but you are better off waiting for somewhere with normal hours! Never will come back. read more

The best nail salon in Chicago!! It's owned by two sisters who are not only incredibly talented but are so kind, flexible and accommodating. The place is spotless and I look forward to going every time. read more

My original nail tech was on vacation, and me being picky it was taking forever to find one up to par. I went to one closer to me on the south side and I hated it. Small things that no one but myself would notice and other people who are nail junkies like me. they were too thick, not even, and definitely not worth the price i paid (i'm stingy with that as well). That's when I searched high and low on yelp and singled my options down to four stores (including this one). This one was closest to my job and the owner in the picture had nice make up so I had a feeling she paid close attention to detail and precision. Upon arriving after work it was very inviting. I felt super relaxed and could fall asleep in the chair. It took a while but the results were worth it. Not to mention that i came in with a months worth of damage (needed a fill in, color change, four repairs, shaping) and they were very patient. Although I didn't expect the price to be so high (well, I did. it was a lot of work), i'm sure with me keeping up with my nails this time it won't be so expensive. I honestly didn't care about the price and barely looked at it as I swiped away without regret. It's so worth it. Also, it's very close to the bottom of your nail. Nail techs leaving gaps is my biggest pet peeve. I cannot thank them more for their beautiful work. read more

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NEVER book an appointment with this nail salon. This is my warning to all customers. I showed up for my appointment this morning (I do not live in the area) and no one was there. I called twice and knocked on the door. This was my second chance I was giving this salon after I called last weekend to make an appointment, was told they had availability and would call me right back and never received a call back. I would never give this salon my business EVER. I just wanted to help the rest of the yelp community out by letting them know how they treat customers. read more

My new "go to" nail salon! The staff and owner are amazing! They go over and beyond to make sure you're happy and they take the extra time and effort to make sure you walk out of their with the perfect nails. To top it off - they are dog friendly! :) Highly recommend. read more

Literally the best experience I've ever had. I'm so picky and they were not only amazing at nails but seriously the sweetest. This just might be my number one spot and that says a lot.... read more

The best manicure and pedicure the place is really clean and the products they used are really great not chemical at all this will be my go to pedi-mani place from now on. read more

I love that it's open this late! I called on a Saturday around 8pm and got a call back at 9pm for a 11pm appointment! It is soo beneficial that their hours extend so late. Once i got there the treatment was great, the color selection was small... but it's works! The ladies were very friendly and professional and i am very satisfied with my no chip mani and pedicure. I definitely recommend and will be back! read more

I cannot say enough about this incredible salon. I am somewhat picky when it comes to manicures and this place blew me away. Not only did I get an amazing no chip mani that has really lasted, I got a fabulous chair massage as well. They really pay attention to details here and are very customer focused. You don't always find this in nail salons these days. I can't wait to try their other services too, especially with their 20 percent off promotion right now. A few other quick things that set this place apart: their amazing free coffee drinks (homemade), cleanliness, huge color selection, and their friendliness. Thanks illuminate for being my new go to place! read more

There is no receptionist and when I arrived there was no record of my appointment or anybody elses! The man doing my pedicure clearly was not a nail technician and had no training. He did not buff my feet and did not know how to put in toe separators or paint nails. He also moved my shoes and spilled water in one of them, which was extremely annoying. Another technician stepped in to help with painting once she was done with two other manicures. Needless to say, the whole process took a ridiculous amount of time as they were basically trying to stall people to wait for the only two actual manicurists to help the many waiting and unhappy customers. I had specifically booked with the understanding that the salon could do rose gold nails and reconfirmed upon my arrival. Once I finally had the actual nail technician available to me, which was about 2 hours after I arrived, I specifically requested the color and chrome colors that I wanted and asked that she file my nails in an oval shape. Instead, she clipped my nails very short and after a cursory look at the color I had chosen determined it "didn't work" and changed to a different color without asking me so I could STOP HER. She was also very rude about it and instead of admitting it was her fault that she didn't know what she was doing, she told me she didn't have time figure it out because others were waiting. Um...it's not my fault the salon is completely disorganized, and cutomers are served in order. I finally left knowing that I will need to have my nails redone elsewhere just to get out of there and stop wasting my day with these incompetent and unpleasant people. Had there been any sort of management available or other technicians as a reputable establishment might have then I would have requested that my nails be redone correctly and as I ordered them to be done, but this place doesn't even have a receptionist, nevermind a manager. And did I mention the employees spent the entire time sort of bickering with each other loudly? This was a horrific experience - the worst I have ever had at a salon, and I left feeling upset and with nails that look worse than when I came in. All I wanted to do when I left was cry. I hate this salon, and everyone who works there should be fired (okay maybe they should give the guy who's not a manicurist a medal for helping out in what clearly is not his expertise, idk!? He must be the masseuse or maybe he actualy *doesn't* work there...). Do yourself a HUGE favor and never, ever go there. It's not worth it. I have no idea how anybody ever gave this place a good review. I would expect it to be closed within a year given how terribly run it was. If I had known or had any idea what a bad experience it would be, I would never have gone there. read more

Super cute place and very clean! Their service is great and they were able to accommodate a last minute appointment, and my nails look perfect! read more

One of the best Salons in Lincoln Park area hands down. Inside extremely clean and customer service was very good and owner was really nice. Definitely would recommend to my friends and family. read more

The best manicure! I really love my no chip manicure, love the color. Great service! I would definitely go back, the staff were really friendly and attentive. The salon is really nice and clean. Had a great experience in illuminate salon I definitely recommend! read more

I went in 6 days ago to get a gel fx that I payed $90 for that lasted me 6 days till all my nails started lifting off. I've never payed that much for a set but that was besides the point. I contacted them a week later to tell them they told me to come in to fix them. Was there for over an hour getting them fixed all of them needed to be replaced ! I asked if I needed to pay anything after she said yes for refill & for taking off my old nails that THEY messed up with the shitty job they did. I said I'm not paying that. After that they had a terrible shitty attitude saying I needed to pay because they wasted time on me I said no but I will still give you a $20 tip because of the person I am. On top of that I go on Instagram & they blocked me for no reason because of the shitty job they did. Please don't waste your money here they are so unprofessional & over priced for something that won't last you a week. read more