West Portal Spa

This place has changed a lot over the years. They are super overpriced for a job that’s less than mediocore. yea the place looks nice and its in a nice area… doesn’t mean its quality work. I use to come here a lot with my sister growing up, paid a little more than other places on ocean ave. because we figured well, its looks nice n clean and well they sorta do a good job yea i’ll pay a little more for the ambiance?! Then the quality of their work is getting worse and the prices go higher and higher just because they have fancy seats and oOoOo hot lotions massages… news flash! (rolled eyes emoji) everyone does it now. anyways, i’ve been done giving this place the benefit of the doubt. I just read my friends old review about this place and felt awful that she had to go thru such horrible experience. and so i thought others should know what they’d be getting themselves into before its too late. #Deuces

The salon is clean. The chairs are comfortable. Manicures include a warm lotion massage and Pedicures include a HOT STONE lotion massage. The lotion is then wiped off with warm towels. Heaven. The ladies are nice. They do a great job with both painting and nail art. Like any other personal-​type service, some of the ladies are faster than others, but they’re all good. They have good nail drying fans for both hands and feet. I have been going here over 10 years and have never had an issue. The only reason I’ve never written a review was to keep this place to myself!

Great speedy service & nice end result. Very nice selection of colors and clean pretty spa.

Decided to try this place out and won’t be coming back. I decided to get a set of Acrylics, which the menu said costed 30 $. At checkout the lady said 40 $. When I said I wanted the classic French style, the lady took out a box of white tips and started glueing them on. They were not glued on very straight, but I paid no attention to that because I assumed she would later paint a nicer white tip on over them. Which didn’t happen. Also she left a gap in between one of my fingernails and the fake tip. Another thing I noticed was that she left large amounts of glue underneath my nail. Also, the acrylic powder was applied unevenly and certain sides of my nails are much tall than the others.

Eh.
Have not been pleased with this place. It’s SO hit and miss. I never know if I am going to get a good manicure or not. Super overpriced.

the service was overpriced compared to the quality of customer service they offer! The ladies at the register were kind of rude and pretty much bullied me to tip 4 people! even told me how much they wanted! i found it very rude. It was my only choice on a Sunday afternoon (only place i found open), i am not looking forward to come back having other choices.
the young man working there on Sunday did a nice job on my acrylics.

So another nail broke of mine and here I go to go fix it at a salon close to me. West portal is close and so is Ocean Ave. but Linda’s Ocean Nail was totally booked, it being Friday and all.
I called this place and they told me they could take me so yeays to that!
They fixed my one nail, reshaped all the other ones (the way I wanted them the entire time), then we just put clear on top. Walla!
Lucy was cool she said that I could go more narrow on the shape which I loved it and it was good.

This spa is great for when you want to pamper yourself. They do the regular clean up for your nails and a warm lotion massage! It’s very enjoyable. HOWEVER. It’s only a good experience when you get the right person.
–The Guy: (I don’t know his name, but there’s only one guy) he does the whole process very slowly and carefully. He’s the best person to get at WP Spa.
–Tina: (Recently changed her name tag to «Jenny» because of bad Unilocal reviews) gets the job done. She use to be a stuck up manicurist, but she talks to the client more and seems happier.
–Hau: She got super distracted while doing my nails. The pedicure felt longer than it should’ve, because she didn’t focus on me. She gets distracted from everything else in the shop. I also didn’t like the color I picked but didn’t say anything, because usually they paint one nail and ask if you like the color or not. She asked me if I liked the color, AFTER she was completely done. Then, when she put on my sandal, she hit my big toe so the color got messed up. (it happens) but she didn’t offer to fix it. I paid $ 30 for a messed up pedicure.

This place is okay, I think it models itself after Silk, but it’s not really the same. I had a manicure and pedicure. The ambiance is slightly better than the cheap manicure places but would not call it a upscale experience. The girls who work there are quite nice, but the price is high for what it is. They do a warm lotion massage with the manicures and pedicures and the massage lasted only two minutes and was quite weak. Also I did a natural color on the nail polish and lint got into the one of the nails that was being painted and the woman basically picked the lint out and painted clear over it. The result was okay but not perfect. I should’ve said something but didn’t. I would expect for the price you pay they should properly fix the nail and not hurry through the massage. I guess I just didn’t feel pampered and you really should for this price.
What sort of irked me was that I was a new customer and was not offered water. Water was offered freely to their regular customers. I probably would not return, but experience was not bad.

They are expensive and their service is bad — which is not a good combination. They argue with you when you tell them what you want and what you dont want. The last time, the lady put some foot scrub on me and then just went on to wash it off without scrubbing. When I asked her she just said thats how its done and was rude.
I will not recommend this place to anyone. If you are going to spend $$ on a mani-​pedi go someplace else and save yourself the frustration of going to West Portal Spa.

I have been going to West Portal Spa for 7+years now. Clean place at reasonable price.

Wanted to treat my mom to a girly date before we cook up a storm for thanksgiving.
Called around 10:00am to make an appointment for 4:00pm so my mom and I can enjoy our mani/​pedi together. They took my name and number down and we were good to go.
Came in right on time, and it was already obvious they were overbooked. I get it, it’s the day before thanksgiving, but it was ridiculous. Not only did we wait to be taken care of, a walk-​in got seated before us because she picked out her color faster, while I was waiting around for the shellac samples.
Pedicure went fine, and then they took me to do my gels and my mom was left in the chair waiting, for 30 minutes…
Other appointment-​made manicures were being seated, and I reminded them twice that my mother was an earlier appointment. One lady totally ignored me, and the other barely uttered an apology.
My gells were done by the time they took my mom for her manicure, and the lady rushed the rest of my treatment to accommodate another person waiting on a manicure. She didn’t even clean off the table of tissues and nail trimmings while she stood and rushed my massage. She sensed my irritation and hoped that calling me «beautiful» would help her chances of a tip — haha!
$ 100 dollar total for shit service and poor manicures is ridiculous, and will be my last payment here.
One girl was really apologetic, which I felt kinda bad about. But, there’s a group of four sitting beside me (as I am still waiting for my mom to finish up) and they’re all pissed because they also made an appointment to be taken care of together.
Once again, I get it, it’s the day before thanksgiving, but monitor your appointments and maybe don’t take walk-​ins when you’re expecting it to be so busy.

One of the worst mani pedis I’ve had and the most expensive. For $ 45 I got a «warm lotion» mani pedi. Upon walking in for my scheduled appointment I was barked at to pick my cala as per usual. I was the directed to put my feet into a tepid tub of water that looked dirty, I could see oily dirty looking residue in the top, I told myself it was nice oils or something but I know I was wrong.
Tina, an angry woman who would rather do like ANYTHING besides nails did my feet. DONT EVER GET TINA. The actual pedicure was painful scary and rough and she was insulted and rolled her eyes when I asked her to cut my nails straight across. She then smeared some lotion and warmed milky looking stuff all ofver my legs then held some warm rocks in her hands while he lazily and so gently I couldn’t even feel it slid her hands randomly on my legs and feet. It lasted 5 seconds while she stared at her coworkers spreading green paste on a clients legs. I seriously wouldn’t pay 50 cents for that crap. It was insulting and didn’t feel good at all and was a waste of time. She painted my nails like a 2 year old and the manicure portion didn’t include the dumb pointless warm stones at all. Anna who painted my fingers was equally bitter and ripped my cuticle off my pinkie and made me bleed. Horrible. They instructed me to move to a counter by the door to dry my nails and didn’t offer to carry my bag or shoes so I had to myself but it didn’t matter because my polish job was so FUBAR anyway. When i went to pay all of the sudden Anna and Tina came out of the woodwork telling me cheerily to have a happy holiday. Suck it Anna and Tina.

It is an awesome nail spa and I love this place.
The owner and all the employees are very friendly and skilled.
The store is clean.
My pretty nail last for almost a month when I did it here :)

Alright Im a dude, just getting that out of the way. And I like mani/​pedis, but only from this spa because they are literally the best. They wash my feet, massage my hands and feet, clean my nails, and they do the usual nail stuff with the lemon water. Literally, a relaxing heaven.

I have never written a review on this site before but after I went to this nail «spa» I felt compelled to make an account and give a review.
I have been getting my nails done at various nail shops/​salons for over 15years and this was the WORST set of nails and experience I have ever had! My friend and I get there and I ask the lady how much for a FULL set of pink and white would be and she told me $ 45. For a full set not bad. I had a set on already from another spa and I wanted them to take them off since they had lasted me a month but looked a little worn out… I just wanted to start freshI also wanted a pedi.
She sat me right away for a pedi offered me a water and start my pedi. Half way thru the pedi that was great with the hot stones and lotion another lady came and told me when I finish she will do my pink and white but she told me she would fix my nails not take them all off because it will hurt my nails. I agreed. Right when my pedi was finished the lady that told me she was going to do my nails took another customer for a full set! I had to wait over 30mins in the pedi chair to get my nails done when she already promised me! I was irritated but let it go.
After a HALF hour of waiting she took me into her chair to do my pink and white FILL… It seemed as tho she was nice and wanted to please me asking me what I wanted and saying sorry for my wait. She was bragging about how they do the best pink and whites out of anywhere. NOPE! She filed my fingers and hurt me so bag. My figures were swollen for days. She rushed thru it and didn’t even let my nails dry before she ran out the door. I didn’t even get the chance to inspect them before she left. Before she left she said to me «since you had to wait I will only charge you $ 45» WHAT!!! That’s what ur lady at the front told me it was going to be for a FULL SET! This was a fill and ur acting like it was a deal before I was getting for having to wait for u to make more money!
At that point the only good thing was I didn’t have to tip her since she ran out the door before my nails were even dry.
Upon inspection of my nails after I left they looked terrible! The white lines were all different sizes and uneven. The gel was hanging way over my real nails making my nails look huge! There were bumps in most of my nail… I couldn’t even look at them! By the fourth day one of my nails broke off then a week went by and now ALL of my nails have chipped and then broke off! I paid $ 45 for WHAT?! No more nails A WEEK later! My nails are hurting me so bad and they are all bruised. I thought about going back to make them fix my nails for free but why?! Just so they could all brake off a week later?! NO THANK YOU!
Worst experience ever!!! I only went there because my friend wanted to try somewhere new! The place I was being a regular to before this experience was the best ever and I will go back to that place after my nails heal and I am able to get the done again! The spa is an actual spa it is called aqua nails on Geary street. Look it up if you have a bad experience like I did at this horrible «spa»

This is my second time and last time going here. The first time i was getting a massage and the girl stopped abruptly and said she cut herself (on what?), was bleeding and she had to stop. The owner was nice about it, only charged me ½ the massage price. Today I went for a mani /​pedi with my daughter. Her manicure left bubbles in her polish. I started to get a manicure when Sue cut my finger, bleeding and throbbing with pain. I was upset and they knew it. Didn’t realize mani/​pedi was 45.00 there. For what? Then when I paid, i was encircled by the 4 manicurists that worked on myself and my daughter. Like vultures waiting for their tips. It was very strange. Not worth the money. New owner?
One star goes for the manicurist who did my pedicure because she was very sweet and professional.

I came in to get mani/​pedi and eyebrow arch! I was willing to pay extra than other salons on west portal because of the relaxing upscale atmosphere. No one greeted me when I entered and the owner yelled what you want done when I came in! Should of turned around and walked out but I went ahead with the eye brow arch. It was horrible the women was screaming and talking to her coworkers through the wall the whole time she was waxing my eyebrows! Then I asked her to get some strays and she said no! 30 bucks for a eyebrow arch and I had to go to benefit for them to fix it! I obviously did not get my nails done there!

I’ve been there twice since the first of the year. The first time I had an excellent facial from Jenny. She was very attentive. After applying a mask, I received a very nice hand/​arm massage. She didn’t leave the room as those at other spas often do while waiting for a mask to dry. Afterward I had a mani/​pedi. I was pleased with both. The woman who did the pedicure helped eliminate the pressure from an ingrown toenail on my big toe My toes looked good for about 3 weeks.
During my second visit, I had a mani/​pedi. I was fortunate to have Jenny doing my callous control pedicure. She is efficient and experienced. My feet felt so much smoother than before. I like the way my fingernails were shaped.
However, I do not plan to return to this spa because during the above mani/​pedi, the two technicians working on me talked about me in Chinese. Among other things Jenny asked Sue to estimate the size of the diamond on my wedding ring. I understand Chinese and was offended their unprofessional behavior. I will be going to one of the many other spas in the area.

The staff always treat me very well. Even when I get there 30min before it closes. I have ever gotten an appointment easily!
I super recommend The West Portal Spa