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Polished Lounge
Rating Details »
Categories: Day Spas, Nail Salons, Hair Removal [Edit]
Neighborhood: SOMA470 3rd Street
(between Bryant St & I-80)
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 543-0993
- Hours:
Tue-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
222 reviews for Polished Lounge
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
7/8/2009
11/20/2009
11/18/2009
9/30/2009
Updated - 11/14/2009
8/26/2009
9/28/2009
10/23/2009
Updated - 7/7/2009
8/13/2009
9/21/2009
8/1/2009
9/11/2009
3/27/2009
Updated - 9/5/2009
1/15/2009
1/25/2009
2/6/2009
11/8/2008
10/6/2008
10/13/2008
1/23/2009
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7/13/2008
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11/18/2008
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7/28/2008
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3/30/2008
11/18/2008
7/15/2008
9/23/2008
Updated - 9/19/2008
7/4/2008
4/6/2008
5/13/2009
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
Paulina and the staff are awesome! We went here for some pre-wedding pampering. The bride(s), myself, and the other MOH arrived early for our 2:00 appointment and got a chance to check out all the cute trinkets in front. When it was our turn to be seated, it was nothing but relaxation.
They popped and poured the champagne I'd brought. And the environment is just calm. No constant in and out of women asking how many minutes for a mani/pedi with the canned answer of 10 minutes. Just quiet. The few women inside just chatting. Chill.
A wide selection of polish colors, including ones with no toxic ingredients, and even vegan. Comfy arm chairs and a wide selection of magazines. Soothing tunes, a warm thing on your neck, and you can even select the scent for your foot bath. And warm lotion that they rub into your arms and legs.
Mani/pedi only $40, same as in any neighborhood joint. No massage chair, which I don't care for anyway. I will definitely go back.
I have been to soo many nail salons in SF and Polished in my fav! It is pricey so I don't go here everytime I needed a mani/pedi but, if I have a special date or work meeting Polished is the place.
The staff is great, the strawberry tea is soo good and the polish job lasts twice as long as my cheapo Marina nail place.
The atmosphere is shabby chic and they play relaxing french or jazz music.
I love this place!!
I love love love Polished Lounge! Pauline and Keith are so awesome! I recently moved away from the Bay Area (*sniff, sniff*) and I have yet to find a good substitute for my toes (seriously, my toes hate me now). Polished is super accommodating -I requested a nail polish color I saw in InStyle magazine and the next time I came in, there it was, a shiny new bottle of "A Grape Fit" sitting on the shelf waiting for me!
Their strawberry-rubharb tea is also delicious, as is their well stocked candy table. The only thing I wish is that they offered different scents for their foot soaks (perhaps something citrus-y or minty!).
I'm headed back to SF next month and Polished will definitely be on my must-do list!
My bestie and I booked mani/pedi's on a Saturday and was pleasantly surprised at all the goodies they sold in their front desk area. The space is super cute and inviting and the music is a throwback to french and american soul. The ambiance and customer service deserves a 5 star rating as the guy at the front was super sweet and helpful, but the mani/pedi's are a different story.
The chairs are comfy, but they have a little foot stand you have to rest your feet on for your pedi and it's awkward and uncomfortable. My legs started to hurt after a few minutes. The massage was super light and not enjoyable at all and I like a little pressure. The technician over did the topcoat on my toes and I was peeling it off my skin and the polish on my hands started to lift after a day. There was also plenty of cuticle left on my fingers and toes.
Overall, a cute place for a bridal party or birthday but not for my monthly mani/pedi maintenance.
As a follow up to my prior review, I never received the refund that the owner promised to charge back to my credit card. So I paid to get a cellulitis infection (and for the antibiotics to treat it). I definitely had my share of bad luck here and I hope that others will be careful.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/3/2007
i got an infection after my manicure, it's called cellulitis and is an infection of the tissue. i am… Read more »
This place is super cute! I scheduled my appt. on a Friday afternoon and they were able to take me in for an appt that evening. I was able to find parking quickly because of the the time of my appt. I love the whole set up of the place. They have a cute little shop in the front where you can purchase cute tschotkes.
They also have a jars of candies, mints and twizzlers. Super cute addition. Love their huge selection of nail polish. For $52 you can get a mani/pedi and eyebrow wax which isn't a bad deal.
Have fun!
Always a good pedicure experience!!
Lovely interior.
They pay attention to great service and the little details.
Love it!!
I heart Polished! Best pedicures I've ever had! My friend and I have started to make a ritual of coming here once a month after class... the best part? We bring a bottle of wine, and they provide the bottle opener and glasses! The ambiance is wonderful! The ONLY thing that bothers me is the little foot rests they use for the pedicures are super uncomfortable, and I always feel like I have to support my legs on my own or else I'll just knock it over. If they could figure out something else to use for your feet, that was more comfortable, I would give them 5 stars for sure!
I brought 10 bridesmaids, moms and friends here the day before my wedding for some pampering and polishing. The package was very reasonable and they did a great job on everyone.
I am going to dock a few stars though because they got us started 30 minutes late and took two full hours rather than the 90 minutes they quoted me. Consequently, the rehearsal started late, and so did the rehearsal dinner. It threw our schedule way off.
SO.... if you go for the bridesmaids' treatment, be sure to give yourselves a lot of extra time.
Otherwise, everyone's nails looked wonderful and we all enjoyed the fantastic treatment.
P.S.
I wouldn't really recommend getting waxed here. Takes forever and she missed a lot of spots.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2009
I'm going to start by saying that Laura Ashley is about as far from being "my thing" as the planet… Read more »
Inexpensive Heaven!! My friends and I treat ourselves to brunch and a pedicure once a month and of course, we always go to Polished.
I love the comfy chairs, relaxed atmosphere and excellent service.
I've been here twice, once for a bachelorette party and another time for fun.
They have a great decor and feeling to the place, comfy chairs, free candy lying around, and nice workers. Plus the prices are reasonable for San Fran or even Palo Alto, which is where I live. I'm definitely going back for some fun polish colors and great service.
Polished is, quite simply, mani/pedi heaven! When I first arrived, I'll admit, I was a little put off by the overabundance of Laura Ashley prints and antique-y knick knacks. But as soon as I sat down I discovered I was in heaven! Looking around I could see the owners paid so much attention to detail and to the comfort of their customers.
All of the chairs are set up around the perimeter of the room. In the center are eco-friendly polishes, as well as old fashioned candy jars filled with yummy treats like m&m's, jelly beans and licorice. Kind of like a little slice of Miette in a nail salon. Genius! Also in this area is a selection of salts for your foot bath. You can choose from 4 scents including peppermint & lavender. The foot bath is lovely. It's bowl of warm water with the salts and rose petals. The foot and hand massage was so nice. Warm lotions are brought out in tiny silver dishes. Another fancy little detail. While your nails are being done, you can put your rings into a cute little container of jewelry cleaner. So when your done not only do your nails look great, but your rings do too. The magazine selection is top notch. It's not a huge stack of People & Star. There's a big selection of good magazines and they are not all torn and falling apart.
I can't wait to go back to Polished! I think this would be the perfect spot for a birthday party or pre-wedding pampering. I understand you can bring wine or champagne and they can seat 10 people at a time.
Overall, the experience was well worth the $40 mani/pedi and the quality is on the high end of the range. They spend a lot of time doing your nails and making sure you are comfortable. When you visit Polished, don't forget to check out all of the beautiful gifts, candles and jewelry in the front of the store. Appointments are highly recommended.
One of my favorite places to get a pedicure or my brows done (Sophia rocks!) Pauline is the owner with her husband, both are very nice. When I had my girlfriends in town from back east, we had reservations for the 3 of us and brought in Champagne. It was a fun girly afternoon. There is a great selections of polishes including "vegan" polish if you're into that.. I personally prefer the OPI brand with the fabulous names. You can't get over the chic, relaxing atmosphere with calm music, trashy gossip magazines, and wonderful free candy bar. Little more expensive than your average neighborhood nail place, but I adore it. Worth every penny.
I had to wait a few days to see if this place was as great as I thought (had to make sure the nail-polish didn't chip away within days of my visit like most other places).
Polished Lounge stood the test of time AND rocked my socks off during my visit.
This isn't your usual mani-pedi day spa. No pushing for decorative nail gems or treatments that tack on $5 here and $3 there. Straight forward pampering just how I like it. The rose petal and jasmine oil foot/ hand soak wasn't bad either.
Admittedly, one of my favorite features was the selection of nail polish. Polishes are set up on various three-tiered cupcake stands and sorted by brand then color. I'm a sap for OPI nail color but don't always find it, so I definitely appreciated the selection.
Next to the cupcake stands of nail polish are an assortment of candy trays, filled with... CANDY! Gummy bears, jelly beans, licorice, bouquets of lolly pops- woof! This took my pampering from being a treat to being straight up gluttonous. No shame. I loved it.
The real cherry topper was when the clock struck 4 and the Parking Ticket Jackass started making his rounds. The coordinator for the spa asked all the ladies if they were parked out front (because he saw a car parked and about to be ticketed). He realized the car MUST belong to the woman who just entered the side room for a wax. Within moments her car keys were passed through the door and he MOVED HER CAR FOR HER so she wouldn't get ticketed and towed. If I had been drinking a glass of '03 Cooper Primativo instead of the delicious green tea they poured me I would've sworn I was in heaven.
5 stars. Customer for LIFE.
I came to this place after moving to SF and looking on yelp for a new nail salon in my new area.
Polished Lounge is the VERY BEST nail salon I have ever been to. It offers a unique ambiance that is both relaxing, soothing and the service is very polished!!
You are greated by great staff, an inviting lounge and once you see the cute chairs, you are eager to sit down and relax. They immediately have me fresh, chilled water in a glass, wrapped around my kneck a warm lavender scented heat wrap that instantly settled my stress down and I dipped my toes into a bamboo bowl of warm cucumber water filled with rose petals.
They offer top of the line polishes and after enjoying my experience so much, I asked for a cute flower to be painted on my toe for that extra touch. 2 weeks later, my pedicure is just as pretty as the day I got it.
I definitely recommend this place!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/12/2009
I found this place on yelp and a co-worker also suggested this place.
I love the ambience, the many… Read more »
Confession Time:
I'm not a real girl.
No not that kind of "not a real girl". Trust me I was born with all female parts. I just don't get girl stuff. I don't have tons of girlfriends. I really hate shopping (though I love new stuff). I don't really like the whole spa thing since I don't think I've relaxed since 1998. So after 18 years of biting my nails and another year of trying to do them myself I finally got fed up today and decided to go get a manicure!
I yelped "Manicure Downtown" and the first result was Polished Lounge. I didn't read the reviews. I just went and boy was I surprised.
The place looks like Laura Ashley threw up....I actually mean that as some sort of description not an insult. It's just flowery and feminine and smells nice. Which kinda freaks me out. They plop you down in these nice comfy overstuffed chairs with tons of magazines, water, tea, coffee, whatever you want. They place a warming little pillow thing around your neck and you are encouraged to not talk and just relax. That is my favorite part. I don't have to come up with any awkward small talk I can just sit and sleep. You get an arm massage complete with warm lotion. When I took my ring off for the arm massage BITCH CLEANED MY RING FOR ME!! I was STUNNED. They keep a little bit of jewelry cleaner to the side and she cleaned my ring. It was the simple little touches like that which totally put the service over the time.
How much does service like this cost? I expected at least $25. I walked out of there for $22 including tip.
So despite the fact I'm not a girly girl and have already chipped 2 nails because I was too impatient to let them dry all the way they've gained a customer for life. (Oh and I recommend getting an appointment but they do take walk-ins)
I am not an expert on the girly things that happen in this place, but I know I really, really enjoyed my recent trip to the Polished Lounge. I decided that it was time to treat myself to a pedicure because I hear girls enjoy that sort of thing. I've gotten a pedicure twice before in my life and it was nothing amazing, but decided the experience was worth repeating. I pass this place on my way to work and it looked like a decent spot to try.
Boy, was it a good spot to try. The experience was amazing. I was so relaxed that it was like taking a mini-vacation in the middle of the city. They were very nice when I came in and brought me water with an orange slice when they showed me to my comfy chair. They put a nice wooden bowl in front of the chair and filled it with warm water, real rose petals, and the scent of my choice.
The woman that did my pedicure was very pleasant and accommodating. I'm not sure how to describe the pleasantness and the relaxation I felt during this experience. All I know is that I now understand why girls like this stuff.
I am now going to have to budget in occasional trips to get pampered and when I do, I'll be coming to the Polished Lounge.
I went here for my first ever bikini wax a week before my honeymoon, and it was a surprisingly pleasant experience. I was very nervous, never having revealed my woman bits to another woman for maintenance, but Sophia did a great job, was very kind and took her time, and had a technique that barely hurt at all! I will definitely go back to her again.
Also got a mani/pedi that looked great and lasted weeks. The decor is very Laura Ashley, your grandmother's living room, but the service is good, the music is mellow and it was very relaxing. None of this assembly line, fluorescent lights, vinyl chair, over-booked, rushed out the door that you get at the cheaper places. Admittedly, it is more expensive than your standard corner shop $25 mani/pedi, but I think it was worth it, for the service. Not hip or modern, but comfortable and pleasant.
I really dug the atmosphere at this place- sort of a hip country french with lots of fun stuff in their little retail area, warm yellow walls, and a cozy nail section. This is not some nail sweat shop or characterless spa. Everyone was friendly, and my pedicurist seemed very meticulous. Plus, they put rose petals in your foot bath, and let you choose from 4 different scented salts for the bath.
And helloooooo free candy. Yes, there is a whimsical and openly available candy display in the middle of the room. They really know how to make a girl happy. In comparison to the other nail salon/spa I've been to in the area (Mizu), I like Polished much better. Polished is a punch of character and charm to Mizu's modern austerity. Plus, I think the prices are a little better at Polished. My *only* complaint was at one point my pedicurist didn't understand when I told her to stop cutting at a sensitive cuticle, but she caught on... and everyone else seemed to speak English well. And, I love that they have 2 eco-friendly polish lines. Girly, fun, and great for groups too. I'll have to plan a girls' pedi party for my next trip....
Polished Lounge is my all-time favorite nail salon in S.F. *and* L.A. (well, so far at least - still exploring SoCal)! I love it so much that I try to fit a visit there in my usually-once-a-month trip to the Bay Area. Keith at the front desk is extremely helpful and polite, and the staff is also friendly without being overbearing - all smiles, not TOO talkative, and at least *act* like they care about you :)
The decor, though kitschy, is cute and comfortable, they have wonderfully warm neck pillows, they serve the most delicious strawberry-rhubarb tea, and they've got the cutest collection of quirky gifts and cards for friends, babies, or yourself in the front. They have a great collection of polishes including vegan ones, and I also like the fact that they give you pedis in these large, clean bowls with warm water & petals, not those germ-infested spa tubs in a lot of salons!
They've NEVER rushed me out of the chair when I'm done, either; in fact, they've let me just sit there & read my magazine for as long as I want & leave when I feel like it. My manis & pedis are seriously the best I've ever had - they last forever & I never have a problem with ingrown/misshaped nails like I've gotten in other places. Prices are also very reasonable for SF.
Oh, and last time I was there, I mentioned that I just got engaged, and Keith said congratulations and brought me a blood-orange bellini... with refills! :) How sweet is that?!?
there's no doubt that this place is adorable. it's over the top girly and i LOVE that they have non-toxic polishes. SO NICE. i wish Silk would catch on to this trend. because silk is seriously hands down, stil my fav place to get a pedi.
i went to polished for a baby shower this weekend. we had the place to ourselves for a couple hours and they let our host bring in champagne and pastries. the owner was super organized and very nice. she brought everyone a mimosa while we got our services. her staff was also sweet and my attendent did an awesome job on my pedi. with the exception of my massage. yes, this is always the sticking point with me. i don't really want to pay $34 for a pedi if there isn't a damn good leg/foot rub that goes with it. which is the great thing about the massages at silk. they really get in there. i didn't leave feeling blissed out, just a lil underwhelmed for the price. so, cute as this place is, i'd rather buy my own non-toxic polish and take it with me over to silk instead.
Although the ambiance is a little too cheesy for me, I really like the service. Manicures + pedicures are a little expensive even if they do last for weeks!
The reason I keep coming back here is for Sofia - she is the waxing QUEEN.
I know first hand - how a Brazilian is supposed to feel, look and cost - I don't pay anything over $50 and I certainly don't want to be in pain for hours. She is an expert and a total sweetheart! I am addicted to her services.
Back when Polished Lounge first opened, my friend and I walked by and my friend said to me, "I want a pedicure there." She didn't know anyone who'd gone there, hadn't checked it out at all, it was just a gut instinct - she was convinced they'd be awesome. So I got her a gift certificate. My friend knows her shit - she loved it.
She raved about it so much that I went. They put a lavender neck warmer thingie around your neck. As others have said, it DOES look like Laura Ashley threw up in there, but wherever they have you sit, there's something interesting to look at. The rumors of jars of candy? All true.
My friend and I (who both live in SoMa) have been back multiple times. I took an out-of-town friend there. I took my sister-in-law there. I took a friend who'd never had a manicure or pedicure, and they didn't make her feel stupid. They serve mimosas on the weekends.
Keith, the owner, is very friendly and has remembered my name from the second time I went in. They sell lots of cute shit that's great when you need a little present for a girlfriend or a baby.
They have a licensed esthetician to do waxing. They *are* a bit more expensive than some of the other places, but I really feel like the extra money is totally worth the experience. I've seen Keith run out to feed meters or even move cars. They will tie your shoes for you.
Does anyone else, when walking into a place, start adding and subtracting stars, trying to figure out how many yelp stars to give? okay, maybe that's just me.
But when I walked into polish last Thursday morning I already loved the place and the only had to work down because I had already given them 5 stars in my head!
I loved the atmosphere, the very nice ladies, the fact that they had chemical-free nailpolish (I chose the chemical polish though, I do love my chemicals). And I loved the fact that you get to choose your own bath salts, the massage they give.
Oh my god! And I almost forgot, their tea is AMAZING. I forgot what the flavor was, but seriously just get it, It's amazing.
Okay so I have rave about this place forever, But I ALMOST subtracted a star because I decided I wanted a french manicure on my fingernails. So I told the lady giving me my manicure, and she was like "umm...okay" (basically she seemed very nervous like she hadn't done it a lot before).
Well when she started painting it took her a few tries on the first nail, and after the second nail I asked her to make the white tip a little thicker. She looked at me and said "there will be a second coat."
And that point I was like great I'm screwed she doesn't understand me, she thinks I just want the coat to be thicker. BUT NO WORRIES. She did understand and when applying the second coat she made it thicker! I was so happy with the results of the french manicure, and it still looks pretty four days later.
Oh yes, I will be a regular. And I think I'm going to try their waxing next time, so hold your breath ladies and gents.
I went to Polished Lounge to have a pedicure. I made an appointment the day before and I arrived early. I have a good impression with the whole setting and was brought to a wonderful set of chairs with my friend. I chose the green tea favor bath salt... honestly I couldn't tell big difference between the salt because they have very mild favors. My friend who took a bath salt class last December told me bath salt are organic and expired in a month. I think the nail salon should update their sample bath salt pouches.
The bowl for the foot bath was not deep enough and the water was rather cold when I started the bath. It was polished with beautiful colorful rose pedals but I could not smell the aroma. I was not able to enjoy the bath at all because the next thing was already the cuticle care. The whole process of taking care of my cuticle only lasted 5 mins for both feet. It was the fastest I even had... and I was not very sure how it could be done so fast... The whole lotion was very nice but I did not feel good pressure from the massage and my feet still felt tired after wards.
The best thing that happened in the nail salon was their strawberry and blueberry mix tea, and the warm aromatic neck pillow. I asked for another cup of tea and the lady told me "Later". The nail polish process was also the fastest I ever experienced. The color I chose was a pink but it turned out too nature to my skin color even though the lady was very nice and applied a third layer to the nail. I looked at my cell phone at this time because everything is done already and it was just 3:15pm. I did not check the clock when I walked in but I came here probably around 2:50pm.
Somehow my friend who was getting both a mani and pedi was still having her treatment. Because two ladies were working with her, the process was also very fast. By this time my lady asked another lady to bring me tea, I caught them speaking Chinese so I started using Chinese to talk to her. Her attitude was still cold but not as cold as before.
When she walked around a little while later when my friend was still having the treatment, she asked me if I want to change the color. I asked her if this is free of charge. She started looking for another pink polish for me. The lady who was working on my friend's pedi asked me if I was changing color. Her attitude was rude and she gave me the "eye".
My lady changed the nail color for me, she was very nice and she suggested adding two layers of Essie Pink and then one layer for sparkling OPI pink. It turned out great. She told me changing color was free of charge because I was having the treatment, but if it got busy she would not be able to do this. I was thankful I was the only 1/2 customer at this point of my stay and it was not crowded.
My friend and I were not instructed on what to do next. It was after another 10-15 mins seating I decided we should go and went to the restroom. I didn't know why but I wanted to see my feet in the restroom. I then realized the big toe nail smeared.... very badly.... I went back feeling a scary cat.... I didn't want my nails to look this way as I was going to a graduation in a couple days... If I had the nail color I would work on it myself but I didn't.... so.... I let someone know....
The mean lady who worked my friend's pedi gave me the "eye" again. She instructed both of us to get off the comfy chairs to the nail drying station... By the time the whole place was packed, my lady returned to me and fixed my nail at the spot... She didn't have time to take it all off and put it on again so the nail polish was not as pretty anymore... Someone took the back pillow from my chair when I was drying my nails and it was rather rude... My lady carefully instructed me to put my feet under the nail drying machine, and later the paper flip flop owner brought to me.
I totally agreed with some of the other yelpers who called this place "POLISHED".
1. I thought going to a little more expensive location meant I could finally escape from the ladies from cheap nail places but I was wrong. These ladies had a even colder attitude... only that they were wearing uniforms.... When I asked for the name of my lady she acted like I was a trouble and never gave me her name. The owner later told me her name is Diana/Diane.
2. When I was waiting for my nails to blow dry in the back area I have my suspicion. There was this big bottle filled with orange sponge on top of a case at my back, the big bottle looked like olives and pickles in supermarket, only the inside were orange sponges in some kind of solutions instead of pickles. I was not sure if this mean they were reusing sponges.
3. When I visited the restroom that was shared with other stores. The hand soap it was using was in a Bath and Body Works bottle in Mandarin Orange favor but I could totally tell it was from this cheap liquid soap I once bought from Walgreen's. Everything in this place was well polished indeed.
this was a first-time visit here for me: here are some notes about my visit.
Pros
- it' been over two-weeks since i got my pedicure and no chipping. the
base is juuuust starting to flake at the base. points for a job that lasts.
- very clean, welcoming, homey, cottage-like and girly, girly, girly (in a
good way. definitely not your average nail-shop ambiance.
- attention to detail. antique candy dishes, cute pail for nail
supplies, even the foot rests are upholstered!
- very organized
- heated neck pillow- great, unexpected touch
- nice staff (who doesn't enjoy a hearing "you're beautiful," even if
they may be lying? the girl who did my pedicure asked how i was
doing, made occasional chit-chat, very sweet lady.
- gentle treatment
- rose petal foot soak
Cons
- i asked for a pedicure, but the owner did not ask what kind i would like
(they have a few different kinds). they lost some money here.
- the owner did ask what kind of salt i would like in my water (lavender,
cucumber melon, etc.) - I never smelled this in the water, never saw it
be put in the water...i'm thinking it never made it's way in there.
-water was lukewarm. rose petals or not, this was a big turnoff.
- although i appreciate a gentle treatment, in terms of filing, cuticle
removal, etc, the massage was much too light with very very little
pressure at all. hardly a massage.
- i expected that asking for a normal french pedicure would just be
white tips, clear/ clear pink base. instead the base was a pale pink -
this is i guess a more natural style? i am ok with it, but i wish
they would have asked me. i would have opted not to do this.
- foot scrub? what foot scrub? my feet are pretty dry, which is a big
reason why i went to get a pedicure. however, they hardly scrubbed
my feet at all. almost not at all. no points taken off for this as i did see
that they offer a scrub treatment. I should have figured this was the
case and asked for it.
I haven't tried any other nail shops in the area, but for the unique environment and just the atmosphere and the general experience, try it first and then make-up your mind. it's definitely unique and different, and that alone will get me to come back in. despite a few downfalls, they get 4-stars for a lasting pedicure.
be specific about what you want and you'll have a good visit.
The ambiance of this place is absolutely amazing. From the french set up, big chairs, lovely cup of tea, candy, scented salts, friendly girls everything here is great. My co-workers and I once did a ladies mani/pedi day here. It was so much fun!
if you live/work in SOMA and need a pedicure -- I highly recommend this place.
After driving by this play for years I finally had a chance to go in and partake in their services. I went in and had a pedicure. The place is cute - very feminine. Probably too Victorian for my taste. But they have fun stuff for sale and good amenities - lots of candy and magazines to keep people occupied. They also put a warmed lavender scented neck pillow on each customer during their treatment.
The long and the short of it is my lady cut me twice on my left foot. One cut on my middle toe and the other on my big toe. She drew blood and tried to rectify it by putting alcohol on the areas. Well, both toes have been bothering me for 2 days and I think one is becoming infected. Not nice.
I don't care if you are at a chop shop in the Marina or a day spa - getting cut once, let alone twice, is not OK.
I won't be going back.
I didn't have a chance to get a pedi before leaving new york, so I was in a jam when I landed in SF for a wedding. Yelp to the rescue w/ Polished lounge. The owner? was really friendly and informative about what kind of pedi was right for my current feet situation. I got the 'sport pedicure' that offered a great exfoliation, scrub and callus treatment.
The chairs are so comfy and they give you a nice heated neck pillow and tea or lemon water. I just about fell asleep during the leg and foot massage. They also over organic nailpolish which is nice for those of you who are particular about it! I highly recommend this if you are in the area.
PS: I really wanted to give PL 5 stars, but I don't think they use autoclave to sterilize their metal tools...
2.5 ... This very posh, colorful and comfortable nail salon seemed like one of the greatest finds of all time. Mani/pedi combo for $40 in a great setting where they chilled and served our champagne for no extra charge! Warm water in large pedicure bowls filled with rose petals and aromatherapy of your choice (I chose peppermint)! Large, comfortable chairs and women lounging with neck pillows!
But the services were a true disappointment. We weren't offered neck pillows- not a huge deal, but they're supposed to be included in the services. The pedicure was the quickest I'd ever had. The technician did VERY LITTLE in the way of exfoliation, callous removal or cuticle work. I'd say she "worked" on my feet for about 3-5 minutes total. The whole pedicure, including the soaking, lasted about 30 minutes. My friend, who was experiencing her first ever pedicure, had the same experience. At least she didn't know what she was missing. My feet are still just as rough and calloused as before. The manicure wasn't much better... quick and a bit careless. My nails were chipped before the end of the day. I just got the feeling that Polished Lounge gets em in and out as quick as possible, with little regard for quality.
What a great place to go with gal pals after work! They welcome you to bring in wine and spirits- so you can have an instant party. In addition to the perfect polishing, you get a warmed "bead bag" that rests on your neck for extra relaxation.
A few minuses- location is a little to far to walk from down town and you must book in ADVANCE.
This place is the cutest, must luxurious nail salon of all time!!! Like all the Yelpers before me have stated, it's like a shabby chic vacay for your hands and feet. From the the comfy chairs, to the impeccable client service, to the free cup of tea, to those neck pillows which aren't as smelly as those people that accost you at the malls to try, rose petals in your foot bath and your choice of scented salts, to their gentle hands/massages, a free candy display, and more...this is my go to place for relaxation.
P.S. Women are often judged by their pedicures. True story.
This place is ridiculously cute. This and Silk are definitely my favorite mani/pedi places in the city. The owners are always courteous, and the services are always prompt, regardless if you are or not. Decent polish color selection and the quality of the mani/pedis are fantastic. They last about two weeks without chipping.
A bit pricier than normal mani/pedis at $40, but well worth it! The place is very soothing and cozy, AND doesn't smell! It has a very French countryside home feel, with big comfy lounge chairs instead of the standard leather massage chair with the attached foot bath. The interior space is roomy, and it doesn't feel like all the pedicures are factory.
They even have free candy to snack on. Great place to bring groups too for a nice relaxing afternoon. They support local designers and sell really cute baby clothes, trendy jewelry, and antique inspired jewelry too.
Pros:
-Cozy, warm, inviting interior
-Lasting polish jobs
-Free candy/snacks & good magazine selection
-Great for groups
-Professional staff, always prompt
Cons:
-Waxes aren't that great
-Not as many polish color choices as Silk
This place is adorable. All the reviews are so right (so in an effort not to be redundant, I am just agreeing).
I will say that walk-ins are not such a good idea at busy times such as lunch hour, but an appointment is worth it. I suggest this place for a cute girls day out or birthday gift. If you aren't in the mood to get your nails done, just peruse the front boutique which has darling accessories for home and yourself!
I went here one weekend when my usual spa was closed for a long weekend. They took my sister and me in at the last minute and we were the final customers of the day. So nice of them.
This is the cutest place ever. It was like walking into Anthropologie. You get your choice of bath salt sents, and a soothing heat wrap for your shoulders, I've never seen that before. The foot massage could have been a little better, but I know that is hit and miss depending on the person because my sister had an awesome one.
The location is pretty strange, kind of a bummer. Also, I wasn't too keen on my brow waxing. I always get really red, but this time it lasted overnight, and she didn't trim. I'll definately go back again with some girlfriends over lunch though.
We began our "bachelorette party" for dear Alisha here Friday night and wow, what a great choice. The staff and owner were so accomodating and wonderful. They let us bring in our own apps and champagne as we all buffed up for the wedding on Saturday night. I had so much fun.
The decor is extremely feminine, shabby chic, putting us right in the mood for our evening. Couldn't have picked a better starting point for pre-wedding festivities.
Just make sure you have the address with you, my cab driver could not find the place so I wandered around on foot for a few minutes before I established the exact address. Oddly, nobody on the street had heard of it or seen it and we were a block away. Though I guess everyone I asked was male....
Update: I went back for a bikini wax and it was Hands-Down the most awesome bikini wax I've ever had in my life. Painless, well paced, relaxing (!!!), comfortable (re: not awkward), the woman doing it was so friendly.
It's rare that you can call a bikini wax relaxing. Seriously... go here.
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4/4/2007
One of the problems with being on Yelp! now is that I am constantly rating whatever place I'm at in… Read more »
Pros:
-Quality french manicure (lasted over a week, instead of two days).
-Warm neck pillows.
-Fairly up to date magazines.
-Feeling like you can escape from your start-up job during lunch every so often.
-Free flip-flops if your nails aren't dry upon leaving, and you only brought closed-toe shoes.
Cons:
-As others have pointed out, tendency to rush through the job. I feel like not enough time between coats is given, leading to wrinkles and lumps in the polish. This occurs, despite careful treading about for the hours post-pedicure.
-More than one flavor of tea would be ideal.
My first manicure!
I wanted to go the extra mile for my wedding, and so heeded a few friends' advice and decided to get my nails did. I looked online (craigslist and here on yelp) for information of what to look for and what to ask about being vegan. I heard stories of gelatin dips and so forth. Being a guy I was clueless. But I'm still girlier than my fiance so she was no help. CL was no help, so after i found this salon on yelp I emailed them and they hooked me up. They have vegan polish, but if youre a guy there isnt really anything you have to worry about.
The staff are really friendly, by email, phone, or in person. When I walked in though, it was how I imagined that place that Harry Potter took Cho Chang on their date. A little girly for me but the chairs arre comfy and the strawberry-rhubarb tea was yummy (not too girly for me, go figure). I thought the cuticle thing was supposed to be painful but it was pain free for me.
Manicures I think will be a luxury for me, but it's still nice every so often. I'll come back, maybe get a pedi.
Took my mom and sis to Polished Lounge for Mother's Day. Was a cute place and I loved the flower petals in the foot bath. The manager also came around and gave us mimosas and fresh strawberries. Yum! The staff was friendly too.
