great experience and enjoyed my recent mani pedi, I will always go here when I need one

If you're considering going to Zen Nails, read this and find anywhere else. This place doesn't even deserve 1 star... the customer service and actual service were equally as terrible. I called early in the morning for a dip manicure and pedicure, and they said they had availability at 4pm. I showed up at 3:55pm, picked out my color and waited patiently until 4:15pm. I was then seated at for a pedicure with my feet in cold water, and when I asked for it to be warmer she said "uh huh" and walked back to the other client. A few minutes later, I asked when mine would begin because I have other things to do and I would come back another time. She came over and put remove on my dip on my nails, and told me that my manicurist was "on her way" and would be here at 4:30pm. By 4:40pm she wasn't there and she told me she'd be doing my nails. When I said I didn't have time for a pedicure she told me she could do it in 3 minutes (???) I started drying off my feet and explained that I was interested in an actual pedicure, yet she moved the towel away and began to file my toes. I had to pull back my feet because she kept filing and wouldn't acknowledge me. It only got worse with the manicure... I asked 10 times for the shape to not be square and to be round edge/oval, and all I got was an "uh huh." I had tips put on before the dip, and my nails are now pointed in all different directions. In the middle of the worst manicure, I asked if that manicurist was ever coming or if that was a lie... she told me she was never coming. Throughout the manicure she also dug her finger nails into my hands and wouldn't respond when I said could you go softer? She ended up putting chrome on my tips and leaving large parts of my nails splotchy. When I asked her to add a little more she'd either say to me "ugh" (and pinch my fingers even harder when she fixed it) or say "I'll do it later" (and she then wouldn't). She ended up putting way too much chrome powder on one of my thumbs that it was literally a shade darker than all the other fingers. Before I said anything, she held up my hands and said "oh?" then tried to place my hand in the dryer. I then said "can you fix this please? It's multiple shades darker than all my other nails" to which I got an eye roll, "ugh" and a few more of her nails digging into my fingers. This manicure lasted an hour and 45 minutes, and I was at Zen Nails for 2 and half hours. My nails are full of little bubbles, scratches and splotches of color. Each nail is slightly different shade and pointed in all different directions. I came in looking for a relaxing experience, and I left feeling disrespected and in a horrible mood. This is by far the worst manicure I've ever had and probably the worst customer service I've ever seen. Save your time and money- go anywhere else. read more

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Not impressed. Disclosure: I typically get my nails done in NYC, but forgot and quickly found this place since it was close to my hotel. I arrived on a Sunday at 9:05am. It opens at 9am and there were already two ladies inside getting pedicures. I noticed on the door they have a discount if you come in the first hour the store is open (I believe it's 20%). The prices were posted anywhere in the store. My manicure was $12. Not sure if this was with the discount or without. They had a fair selection of Essie and OPI polishes. My manicure was no frills and was about 20 min. They had a movie playing on the large TV in the background. Everything appeared clean however the decor was lacking. I was on the fence about getting a pedicure too but decided against it because they didn't have pedicure massage chairs. Instead, the customers sat on a bench with a cushion. I was super disappointed with the drying fans! They were incredibly weak. I could have blown on my nails and they would have dried quicker. They did not offer a complimentary back rub like most nail salons do when you go over to dry. If I lived in the area I wouldn't go back. I'm not a fan of places that aren't upfront about their pricing. It's also a no frills place (but appear like they are trying to be high end)! read more

Always love this place. My go to for toes. Always playing a great com rom on the television. Stop in and say hello.

Clean place-5 stars for atmosphere. Super bright, nice TV and yes I get my toes clipped..so ease up ;) anyways, the prices are reasonable. I think they lack some effort, could be a little more energetic. I get its not fun working on feet-especially mine anyways, give it a chance and lets see if they turn the corner. the work is pretty good in the end read more

I work closeby and decided to check this salon out. Despite being greeted right away, it was a brief visit to say the least. Politely requested a Pedicure, the person who greeted me looked down at her appointment book and also looked around the room. It wasn't busy so I'm sure she was trying to see if any technicians were close to finishing up. Anyway, long story short- She then asked if I could come back at 5:30..... I was hoping she would offer me a seat to get my feet soaking so I could wait there instead but nope...place was very small to begin with. No thanks. I can't speak for their work but based on this encounter, poor experience. read more

Several things: I was given a no chip mani/pedi as a gift. Very nicely done. Salon was spotless! My nail technician spoke perfect English but said no more than a few words to me even when I asked things. She seemed bothered. Secondly the pedicures are done where customers sit on a banquette/ couch rather than individual chairs- very uncomfortable! Lastly and most importantly when I tipped the nail technician she handed the tip over to the owner, rather than keeping it for her hard work. I asked about it and the owner said she would get it later. I hope we are not dealing with slave labor here. read more

I absolutely love this place!!!!!! I haven't found a place in indianapolis like them.

A quick note about my neighborhood nail salon. They are enforcing strict protocol. You must wash your hands upon arrival and wear a mask at all times. They have installed plexiglass dividers at the manicure stations. They have distanced customers and are spacing appointments so as not to have too many people in the salon at once. Same high-quality manicures and pedicures. I have been there twice since they reopened. I feel safe there. I encourage you to go back or try them if you are in the area. read more

I've been going to this place since they opened. Use to be on Dundee and Skokie Blvd. The original owner went back to her country. Then they moved to Skokie Blvd. across from PetSmart. On Tuesdays it's 20% off for seniors. Good. However, i've been being very patient with the terrible manicures I have been getting lately. i get NoChip and pedicure. The " manicurist, Dora, is very phony, rough and unprofessional! The booking is not organized. People come in and sit in the pedicure soak until the water has gone cold after 20 minutes ! I was expressing my frustration with just a regular manicure on Tuesday. And this is not the first time! She clearly understands English . She overheard me talking with Ashley , who I was paying and LAUGHED out loud while giving a pedicure to another client. Waited to hear from Anna the manager until today. NEVER AGAIN! 20% doesn't mean less quality. I was in the industry for years. Unacceptable! And I would tip $10 before. My manicure looks TERRIBLE AFTER 3 days! Lost a good client! read more

Worst nail place ever. I would give it 2 stars but their customer service was horrible. My toes were fine which is why it even gets a star. They didn't have A-List red Essie color which was upsetting. Weird since that's a classic. Anyway, I got a French manicure and the lady (Bella) couldn't do it after trying for 15/20 min so she had Zula do it who had just finished someone else. They did not even clean my cuticles. The white was very sloppy, the lines were uneven, and there were spots on the white polish. My nails were also not filed well either. When she was done which I thought she wasn't, since there was still nail polish on my skin around my nail, they left me at the chair without instruction. I asked for a refund for my manicure and they did not fully refund me. Beyond horrible. The lady (Bella) started laughing too when I asked for one from Zula. I got a regular pedicure and regular French manicure and it took over 1.5 hours without trimming my cuticles or filing my nails properly.... that's just not right. So, I called Sparkly nails in Winnetka and they fixed my manicure, were very kind, were shocked my cuticles looked how they did and cleaned my nails up properly. They are great and so is Bien Assorti (they do perfect French manicures!) who I usually go to in Glencoe. Bien Assorti is closed on Sundays so I figured I would try Zen Spa Nails. Bad decision, won't ever be going back again. What a disgrace. read more

Such an awesome nail salon! Very simple and modern and are amazing for the price they charge. It's reasonable and has a good environment. They have a lovely range of no chip and gel polish. The staff has made it super safe to be as contactless as they can be with customers. Highly recommend! read more

Thank you Zen Nail Spa for supporting the Northbrook Fire Department fight against COVID effort. Your donations were greatly appreciated....especially the hand sanitizer that will help protect the troops on the front line. It is community partners like you that make it a privilege to serve the Village of Northbrook! read more

I have only ever gone to Zen for the last 2.5 years I've lived in this neighborhood. I made an appt yesterday for a manicure and pedicure. Arrived to 784 Skokie Blvd to find they moved! I am in that parking lot nearly every day and never noticed they moved. Not a problem, they moved just up the street by Northbrook Family and Pet. I arrived and they wanted to do my pedicure first, I asked for manicure first because I was going shopping afterwards and wanted to make sure my nails were dry. They only had 1/3 employees there doing manicures and there were two other women in front of me. I said I was leaving and after I left, I wanted the owner to call me so I could express my dissatisfaction with the location issue and this annoyance that I now have to do my own nails for our family photos this afternoon. They won't even answer my phone calls now!!!! All I'm trying to do is leave a message for the owner. I'm not mad but really??? This is how the customer service is when you're dissatisfied? They just don't answer client calls? Thanks but no thanks. Find a new place. read more

Zen Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

First impression was clean. I asked for a no chip acrylic fill. The guy started on me first. Repeatedly filing my skin and cuticles. I kept telling him "not the skin". Then Susie took over. Overall she was ok. Come to pay and they say $65! For a fill! I complain and now have to wait for someone to come to the location to talk to me. Their brochure does not list prices for a fill or a full set. She gets there and I complain. I can get a no chip fill at many places for $25. She then tells me I should have asked for the price before they started. $65 is ridiculous for a nothing special fill. I only went there because it's new and close to work. I will never go back and have told everyone at work to stay clear. **4 days later two nails I had replaced popped off! Crappy quality. 0 stars review! read more

What a heavenly post work Friday treat of no chip and pedi. Lovely, modern and clean space. Very kind and helpful staff. Perfectly relaxing, great timing, and looks great! Will be back for sure. read more

Very clean and nice space. Big TV with rom coms playing. Staff is very professional and accommodating. No chip was $35. Zula was my nail tech and did a wonderful job. The shoulder massage at the end was a nice touch after a long work day. Offer customers a rewards program. Will be back! read more

Zen Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Adult mani pedis are $50. Teen mani ped is $45. If you arrive within the first hour, you get a 20% discount. ($40 adult mani ped. $36 teen mani pedi.) read more

I have been going to Zen nail spa for about a year. Everything is extremely clean, bright, and they play romantic comedies on a big screen. It is quiet, so it is very relaxing. You can see in the photos that they have a full selection of OPI and Essie polishes including no-chip. The prices are normal, 20% off if you come during the first hour of opening and on some weekday, maybe Mondays or Tuesdays? Have never had a problem with the quality of the work! read more

Just left this place and did not enjoy my my experience what so ever. What a shame, this nail salon looks absolutely beautiful but the staff ruined my experience completely. Cindy did not have the slightest smile the entire time. I was picking out a soft pink color because I will be giving birth to a baby girl in a few weeks and I told her this and she pointed out a color and said "take a seat". She was in a horrible mood clearly. I was upset with the 5 second massage on each foot (I am a tired mama!). The manicure experience was no better. Cindys coworker was giving a lady a beautiful hand massage for the same service I was paying for and guess what i got,, NOTHING. My polish is super patchy. I left as soon as possible. Horrible atmosphere due to the worker. read more

I am so impressed with Zen Nail Spa! The interior is modern, chic, and clean. The girls/technicians are friendly and fun to talk to. Even the clients are nice. My no-chips last FAR longer from Zen compared to other nearby salons, which is important to me. Yet, they're very fast/efficient, I'm usually in and out within 30-45 mins. They have a loyalty points program. Very happy with Zen and will probably continue to go there as long as I live in Northbrook! read more

Zen Nail Spa - No-chip mani - Nail Salons Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

First time here, I live in the area and thought I'd try it. Came in for a basic pedicure (35.00). I was greeted by a nice asian woman who accommodated me without an appointment so that was good. The establishment is clean and modern looking. Like most places in this area, the nail technician has no personality and barely cracked a smile while doing her job. She did a good job with trimming (she asked first which is good) my toenails and filing them. She took her time and wasn't in a rush. There were two women in there before I got there getting manicures and I saw no one talking or barely smiling, just watching the large screen tv in the middle of the room with a Tom Hanks movie on. The technician did the usual routine of soaking, trimming, filing, scrub and massage with hot towel pedi. She started to polish my nails and didn't ask me if I like the color. I actually don't like the color I picked now that I see it but oh well. I was taken to the "drying station" which is a rickety shelf-like structure that is unstable and barely had a hint of air coming out at the bottom. Tried to tell one of the other ladies (because my tech disappeared after she was done) and I don't think she understood me well, if that tells you anything. I left with her putting the plastic baggie around my toes so my nails wouldn't get messed up in my shoes but got home and one toe was messed up. So that's my experience here at Zen and I tried to give it a 2 1/2 star but I don't know the trick to do that. This place just seems like a lot of the places in Northbrook. Some times you have gotta keep trying till you find that one place. Thanks read more

Just went to Zen Nail Spa last Thursday for the first time and had a great experience. I had a no chip removal and reapply of no chip. My tech did a great job and got it all done in about an hour. The location is clean and they had a movie playing. Overall a good experience and I will be back!! read more

I have no idea if they do a good job or not. I do know that booking an appointment doesn't seem to matter and had to leave after waiting around. read more

I am very picky about nails and this is my go to! I wanted to write a review after noticing the low rating :( It's clean and beautiful and there's always a movie on. The techs are great - and I never noticed that Eva isn't friendly (as claimed by another reviewer). You get 20% off if you come in (or have an appointment) their first hour of opening - which is awesome!! Also they have rewards! They track how much you spend there using your phone number. Every so often my rewards add up to a free no chip! So the nice atmosphere, talented techs, early bird discount, and rewards make me very loyal to this spot! Don't let the other reviews keep you away, it's actually great here! read more

Went in for a manicure after work...typical salon, poor service... my manicurist wanted the cut my nails, even though I had requested that she just file them.. her response "it takes more time"...i get my nails buffed...the shine is better on a poorly waxed car..at least the salon was quiet (re: empty)...if you are looking for 50 shades of bad...this is the salon for you... read more

This place is immaculate! Beautiful salon. I walked in to get a no chip after work and there was no wait. The 2 ladies working were very friendly and had a movie playing on the large TV. The manicure and pedicure stations are gorgeous. They had a ton of colors and popular brands available. Lily was my nail tech and she did a fabulous job and asked questions about how I liked the shape and color. I was really impressed with the atmosphere and how they took care of the clients that came in after me. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Zen Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I went there today to get a mani pedi, the manicure overall was great! Very well done, but there efforts to help everyone stay safe with COVID, was AWFUL!!!!! they had plexiglass between each person and wore gloves but the tools they use, disgusting. they wipe them off underwater and REPACKAGE them to make them look not used. they do not sanatize countertops. they make you wash your hands right as you get in there and thats fine. BUT THE THING I FIND THE WORST is while my family and I WERE STILL IN THE STORE THEY HAD THEY MASKS OFF only 3 feet away from us. my family did not feel comfrtrable no longer staying in there so we left immeditly. i would not recomend going here only if you would like to bleed from the stabbing at your fingers, catch corona, and get sick from non sanitation. PLEASE DO NOT GO HERE!!!!! read more

I really enjoy the ambience and service . The price for a no chip pedicure was $55.00. I made the mistake of not asking the price before the service. I assumed it would be a lot less. The prices are high if your ok with that. read more

Sadly, Zen does have ANY customer service - there are way TOO many options in the area for this attitude. My mother purchased gift certificates for my birthday - so excited. Sadly, I had medical complications and could not use the certificates until after the expiration date. I explained about my medical condition and offered to pay any difference for the mani/pedi (if there was any). They said "we all have something! - No, too bad". I say to everyone... stay away! If this is how they treat customers that have not had a treatment....I can only imagine the quality is a reflection of their customer service. read more

Place is clean and looks great however customer service is far away from basic.Eva is most unfriendly person ever. This is not place to be recomended read more

The salon is sparkling fresh and new, uncluttered, and very nicely decorated. I have been there several times already and I know it will definitely be my new choice for manicures.I have had both no chip, and regular manicures, and both were excellent. Besides the convenience of parking, the salon offers discounts on certain days, hours,and also senior discounts.......which I always appreciate !!! All this, besides a great arm and shoulder massage,friendly smile, and a manicure that lasts !!! Thank you Anna,I am so happy You chose this location for Your new shop !!! Florrie H read more

I was really excited to try this place...agreed with the first review...it looked clean and inviting...however, the polish selection was incredibly limited, the technicians were unfriendly, I was passed off from one to another for my mani/ pedi...after my manicure was completed, the lady just got up and walked away so I had to carry my purse to the other end of the room where the dryer was. Of course, I chipped a nail doing so but couldn't get it fixed cause the lady who did them was no where to be found. Oh, and I got toe fungus on my big toe from my pedicure. So huge huge huge disappointment on so many levels and will not be returning. read more

The place is clean and quiet. The professionalism of the staff who worked on my nails is fat away from perfect. Thick layers of nail polish, that looks like a 12-year old girl did it. When I nicely pointed on that, was offered a third!!! Layer on top of this already awful work. During my visit i had 3 technicians change during pedicure alone without any reasoning. Apparently, they were training those people and never even asked me if I was OK with that or warned me. Left $65 plus tips and left with rough heels and cheap quality mani. Low quality, but the staff is nice. read more

There is no massage with the pedicure, they basically just rub the lotion on and that's it. And the chairs are not massage chairs!! What kind of nail salon does not have massage chairs and massage their clients for a pedicure?!?!?! Then when you go to pay, its outrageously priced. $65 for a no chip and pedicure. There are not many colors to choose from either which is annoying. Also, I do not appreciate when they ask if I have cash for a tip, this makes me not want to tip you at all. The only reason this got 2 stars was because they are clean. read more

This nail salon is the best one. They do an amazing, flawless job. Kelly and Mary are really great!