New Yorkers don’t just know art — we wear it. All over the city, beauty buffs sporting the next big trends, as well as the more simply-ornamented, can be seen nailing the accessory game. From salons specializing in wearable art to neighborhood spots providing down-to-earth indulgences, here are the best nail art and mani-pedi salons in New York City.
1. Vivi Nails
Trust the talented techs at Vivi Nails to nail your dream design every time. Here, high-quality gel manicures and pedicures are the simplest items on the menu, which features design-heavy nail art sure to astonish. With branches throughout New York City, Vivi Nails has got your back, no matter your borough.
2. Nail De Vue
Beauty Salon, Spa, Health Spa
Before your next special occasion, get picture-perfect from your hands to your toes at Nail De Vue. From bejeweled styles to popular hand-painted marble designs, this Queens salon knows the devil is all in the detail.
Tip: you can’t rush perfection; prepare to settle in for a longer-than-average session at Nail De Vue.
Queen of NY Nails
Queen of NY Nails is a one-woman operation. Boasting over 5,640 Instagram followers and a packed diary (the Queen is available by appointments only), licensed nail tech Denise is the beauty-loving local’s go-to source for custom designs. Well worth the wait, the Queen’s undivided and individualized attention will show for weeks afterwards.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV_FJqmBAXe/?taken-by=queenofnynails
3. Glamour Nails
Beauty Salon
Is basic actually better? At its locations throughout Staten Island, Glamour Nails makes the case for simple styles. Offering unique designs like 3D nail art, it’s the chain’s classic manis and pedis that shine, boasting a level of quality not often encountered with such straightforward styles.
4. Akiko Nails
Rave reviews from the likes of Time Out NY and MTV Nail Art News have landed Akiko Nails on the radars of style-savvy locals. A stylish interior, complete with neon signage and exposed brick, lend this Lower East Side salon cool cred. Japanese-inspired designs are a specialty here, where hand-drawn anime and Sailor Moon-themed images, as well as reproductions of fine Japanese art, adorn the hands of fashion-forward patrons.
137 Rivington St, New York, NY, USA, +1 (646) 841-6721
5. Sapphire Nails and Spa
Beauty Salon, Spa
The bright, open interior at Sapphire Nails and Spa befits a business so close to Manhattan’s Central Park. Pamper yourself after enjoying park activities with a manicure or pedicure featuring posh polishes from Essie, OPI, and more. Looking for even more luxury? Sapphire also offers spa staples, such as facials, massages, and hair-removal treatments.
6. Pretty Polished
Beauty Salon
For affordable extravagance, look no further than Pretty Polished, a classic Chinatown salon boasting manicures and pedicures for under $25. Equipped with top-shelf shellacs from Essie and OPI, this budget-friendly find delivers the quality you love without a price point you hate. With prices like Pretty’s, every day could be a day to treat yourself.
7. Oh, My Nails
Offering mani-pedis that are easy on the eyes and your nails, the East Village’s Oh, My Nails is a top-pick for conscious consumers. Using a ‘new generation gel’ called Calgel, the spot promises no damage, no smell, and no lengthy, nail-harming removal process. At Oh, My Nails, get ahead of the next big beauty trend with a nail job that looks good and is good for you.
117 E 7th St, New York, NY, USA, +1 (646) 590-4700
8. Sakura Nail Spa
Spa, Health Spa
Natural beauty aficionados will appreciate the experience at Sakura Nail Spa. Honoring Japanese tradition, all-natural ingredients are highlighted here, in services such as red bean scrubs and rice bran masks. For simple mani-pedi seekers, the Upper East Side spa provides one of Japan’s most popular (and nice-to-your-nails) nail gel systems.
9. Jin Soon Nail and Spa
Spa
Luckily for locals, this polish manufacturer (whose products have been featured in Elle, InStyle, and more) also operates a salon in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. At Jin Soon Nail and Spa, limited edition nail art menus vie for your attention against unique spa treatments, such as cooling cucumber and mint massages, and warm milk and honey soaks. Pleased with your product? The salon’s eponymous polishes are available for purchase, allowing you to bring a little luxury back home.
10. Paintbox
Beauty Salon
Trust a former beauty editor to reinvent the tried-and-true manicure experience. At Paintbox, color consultants are on hand to recommend your personal perfect polish. With seasonal nail art collections featuring designs with names like ‘Hot Damn’ and ‘Like A Boss,’ you’re likely to love your individualized pick, whatever it may be.
Tip: don’t forget to visit the in-studio photo booth, where you can document your freshly-done designs.
11. Susie's Nail Salon
Beauty Salon
Upper West Side residents struggle to land a seat at Susie’s Nail Salon. It’s a neighborhood business offering no frills, just fashionable designs. Trust the salon’s crowds of locals and book an appointment for expertly-done mani-pedis at budget-friendly fares.
12. Tenoverten
There’s a reason Tenoverten is backed by such beauty authorities as Into the Gloss and VOGUE. Here, carefully-crafted polishes (vegan, cruelty-free, and made in the USA) come with names honoring the New York City neighborhoods that inspire them. Offering custom, hour-long pedicures, mani-pedis for pint-sized patrons, and natural hair removal treatments, repping your city has never been better than at Tenoverten.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWLs6nDFlvo/?taken-by=tenoverten
13. The Gel Bar
Gel nail fanatics need look no further than The Gel Bar, a salon specializing in all gel nails, including calgel, UV, and design. Experimental nail art — such as styles featuring gradation and thoughtfully-placed negative space — is a must-try at this Midtown gem.
11 W 30th St, New York, NY, USA, +1 (212) 695-5985
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRe4Ik7lxyZ/?taken-by=thegelbar
14. Abey Nail & Spa II
Massage Parlour, Spa
Tribeca-based beauty buffs will love Abey Nail & Spa II, an affordable nail salon boasting an unbeatable rewards program for loyal locals. With a mani-pedi-massage package that won’t break the bank, the spot could easily become your go-to destination for experiences that only feel indulgent.
15. Valley Nails
Valley Nails is a fashion world favorite at the front of the beauty industry’s campaign for consciousness. Offering only toxin-free and 7-free nail and gel polishes, this eco-friendly, ethical salon supports beauty from the outside in. Custom nail art designs, complimentary repairs, and over 160 sizes of nail extensions have earned Valley a peak position on review roundups from VOGUE, Elle, and Refinery 29.
KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
