Avanti Nails & Spa

I was pleasantly surprised by this salon! It was very modern, clean, AND included oil on the heel for standard pedicure with a lovely massage. I had ‘Ann’ — she was superb and meticulous. It was 54 for mani/​pedi and 62 w French manicure. I’ve paid similar for much less pleasant (and clean) experiences, and in my 16+ years of getting my nails done, this was a standout. Go and ask for Ann.

Came here for a gel manicure and regular pedicure. Paid $ 91 including tip. It was probably one of the most basic, rushed pedicures I have ever had– I have had better at $ 20 – 25 mani/​pedi combo places. VERY overpriced here, not worth the money for a pedicure.
Gel mani was fine, but not a super great job as it is peeling and chipping after only 1 week. I’ve had gel manis last way longer– at least 2 weeks flawless without a chip or peel.

I recommend Avanti. It is clean and I love the décor. I have been coming here for years for manis and the occasional pedi, and although it is pricey, a peace of mind in knowing that I am getting served in a clean (and to me, convenient) environment is well worth the premium.
I separately loathe to read complaints from others about the price (and salon workers speaking in Korean or taking lunch …) — sadly, the industry is rife with abuse and exploitation of the women that work in these salons, and our consumerist beliefs are that we are entitled to have someone at our slave and beckon for a $ 20 mani/​pedi. Unfortunately, this is a product of not only social conditioning where these workers are seen as a perpetual undeserving class, it is also the byproduct of an informal economy. A mani/​pedi is a luxury, and I implore everyone to consider the humans behind the polish and the true costs of doing business in NY before jumping on the «it’s too expensive because the tech behaved like a human being» bandwagon.
Back to the review, it is true that the experience might vary by staff but I have never encountered an issue that could not be addressed. I smudged my mani on my way out once and they were willing to salvage it despite others in queue. I tend to forego the «extras» such as massaging, but I find that the technicians never seem to shortchange me on the basics despite that. In this sense, it is a reliable and consistent salon.
Scheduling during work hours has become more difficult as of late, but weekends are still a breeze. I have never been to other locations but I certainly intend to remain a loyal customer here and recommend this location to others.

A little on the pricier side but I pleasantly surprised with the facility! Super clean, modern fun décor, and friendly staff. There was a short wait because I didn’t have an appointment but I really enjoyed it here! They did a great job on my toes too!

my favorite place to get my feet done. I came in with winter feet and left with spring worthy feet with jewels on my toes (not litterally). my pedicurist also got rid of all my calluses and rough paches. ill be back

Would give 0 stars if i could. Overpriced and terrible results. Rushed my pedicure too. They messed up one of my toe nails and tries to convince me that it looked okay and I had to ask repeatedly to redo my nail.

Changing nail polish is one of my to-​do lists for every Saturday. I’ve tried most of the nail shops in the area. Some of them are not clean and sometimes messed up my nails, while some of them are super packed and loud. Not happy with any of these spots, I was looking for alternatives and finally found Avanti on the 8^th ave — thank god, now I can relax while doing manicures/​pedicures.
Would also recommend facial/​body massage — they have a couple of rooms for massage and waxing. Might be a bit more pricey than comparable places, but you are paying for great, clean services.

Great service for this touristy location. The ladies are talented and attentive. I had s bad gel job done and they repaired it three times for me for free. Fantastic customer service!

Great place! I never make an appointment and usually don’t have to wait long. A little more expensive than other neighborhood spots but the difference in cleanliness and professionalism is well worth a few extra dollars. The manager (owner?) is always there and keeps an eye on the technicians.

I’ve been going to Avanti for years and always thought the place was great. The last three times my experiences were not great. The place is extremely overpriced. I’m OK with paying higher prices as long as I get what I pay for. Got the spa pedicure over the weekend, which is $ 60. It felt rushed and the paint job was terrible. The girl was painting them so fast that I wondered if she was even getting polish on my nails. I was so angry with how my red polish looked the day after. It’s very uneven. The 10 minute foot massage was not great either. She basically just kept rubbing lotion all over my legs. The massage is my favorite part and I will never get those 10 minutes back. I’m done with that place. Do yourself a favor and go to some of the places on the east side where you can get a mani/​pedi for $ 30.

I wouldn’t trust anyone in the United States with my manicure and pedicure the way I trust ELLEN from Avanti. If you can book a session with her, you are winning the beauty lottery. She is the most skilled, detail-​oriented, positive, professional woman I have ever encountered in this industry. The atmosphere and staff at Avanti are all fantastic. It is an incredible, trusted, special spot in the city if you want amazing service and incredible results. I could not say enough great things!

The price list shows a «polish change» is $ 18. I came in with bare nails, insisted on not getting a manicure as I was in a hurry so they literally just put polish on my fingernails. $ 42. Never will I ever return. This was the most ludicrous waste of money I’ve ever spent in NYC… as a fifteen year resident that is saying A LOT.
SAVE YOURSELF! GO ELSEWHERE!

Made an appointment for three manicures. Arrived five minutes late. Rude and no customer service. Took two guys of the street.

Ok! So it’s my long overdue review on this place and I just wish Unilocal would allow to put 0 stars!
Anyway, I’ve been giving this place so many second and … God knows how many chances!
I’ve been frequent in the salon for about 2 years. And I am finally fed up!
Yes, the location is convenient. Yes, the are reasonably clean. But:
1. Their services are really overpriced.
2. The salon gets noisy and if you are stressed there is no chance you can relax.
3. Girls are clueless in what they are doing. Not all, don’t get me wrong. But 80% of their staff.
4. Customer service is just bad. They are rude, not listening to your requests. And if you try to explain them that the job is not being done right, they will drop everything and leave you sitting in your chair waiting for another girl. Is this how it suppose to be?!
Today I went there for mani/​pedi! First thing, I requested a girl I usually go to. Was waiting for 30 m for her to finish with the previous customer but after that she left to have her lunch. Seriously?
They gave me another lady who was doing a complete mess with my toenails and after it made me really nervous I finally asked for a manager. They said the manager is not there, the boss is on vacation, the girl name Ellen even threatened me with police if I didn’t leave the salon. I wasn’t yelling, I wasn’t trying even to raise my voice. All I wanted was to notify salon owners how rude their staff was.
Never again will I go there!

The service was fast and the treatment was thorough and the paint job was excellent. I just wish that the price point was a little lower. The employees were all very friendly. the pedicure could have been a little bit better but i will probably go back.

They are pricey but they used to be worth it. The place is very small, 9 pedi chairs and 10 mani tables so I usually expected to have a short wait if I went during lunchtime. Lately they have been booking office parties for lunchtime mani-​pedis. 6 to 9 women troop in and take over the tiny place. An individual can’t walk in or make a reservation between 12 and 2 anymore. If you happen to be in a chair when the party arrives, you have to be prepared for the noise and the basic invasion that comes with it. They pile food on paper plates and then eat during their pedicures. The entire experience turns very unpleasant very quickly. This has happened the past 4 weeks I’ve gone there so it’s no longer an occasional thing. Impossible to get in during lunchtime Wednesday through Friday. They need to decide if they are a private or public salon. I’ll never go there again.

Don’t waste your money when so many better places are nearby.
I got a simple pedicure. Overpriced at $ 34, especially when they barely did anything at all. The polish cracked and chipped off a few hours after leaving! I went back the next day and I very sweetly explained that had been there the night before and had a really bad experience (no pumicing at all, busted massage chair, no shoulder rub or anything calming at all etc). I showed her the polish and she said they don’t pumice and won’t re-​do the polish. I’m really shocked they got any good reviews

Wouldn’t normally spend this much in a mani /​pedi but in my case I needed a emergency nail make over for work. Lee (my nail lady) was very sweet with a wicked foot massage. A bit pricy but worth it.

I work closeby so sometimes come here for a mani if I’m desperate or in a time crunch.
Nice, clean space. Friendly enough service. Experience varies, depending on which technician you get — so it can be hit or miss.

I have been to this place several times due their proximity to my place.
They do a bad job, rush you out, and they are not cheap either.
I once had a very bad experience with one of the girls that actually yelled at me for not explaining exactly what I wanted, according to her of course, and got pissed at myself that did not say anything to her. My bad so let’s move on. Most of the stuff is nice and courteous. Nails don’t last more than 3 days, they don’t clean the cuticles thoroughly and I think they stay in business because of their location. I do not recommend this place. They have to understand that they should take their time and do a thorough job, that makes people happy so they come back, and also write good reviews. I’m sure all these ratings have deterred many people from coming here but they don’t seem to be getting the message.