Akiko Nails

Less than one week and my gel x came off for my birthday nails. This place used to be good in 2021, nail techs that knew how to do gel x application. I went in Dec and they charged me 200 for gel with air brush. Insane. Then it’s started chipping off 8 days later, right outside the window of when they’d fix it. Think that was a fluke, now I got my birthday nails and a pedicure and it was almost the same price? And with the huge snow storm I can’t go and get them fixed. Will not be returning after this experience.

I have been going here for AGES because it’s the only place I trust for nail art/extensions! So many amazing artists too. I’ve seen Michelle, Yayo, and Eli and they are all fantastic. For more complex designs, I highly recommend Yayo and Michelle. I NEVER have burn lines in my nails and they know how to execute whatever design you want with such precision! The atmosphere of the salon is super chill and the front staff/reception is always so welcoming and accommodating. I cannot recommend this place enough! EDIT: I’d like to say I don’t know how in the world this place has received low-rated reviews. I truly think some people just like to complain. Also, the remarks about Yayo (the nail tech with brightly colored hair and amazing and wild nails) are weird. She’s never been rude or short with me. Maybe try talking to or conversing with her because she’s a human being too. Also, the fact that she can do such amazing work on others with such long nails of her own is so impressive!

It's a two star review not because the place is bad, as my over experience at the Salon was just okay. But because this is a nail salon and I come to get the art and craftsmanship that nail techs have to offer. Based on my experience and results I did not get that technique from a salon that claims on it to "specialize in Japanese nail art". My results came out overall DIY-ish. My nail tech, Anna, was very nice and acommedating to try and make it to my liking. However, I just think my nail tech's skills to do the nail art were just casual or average. I don't think my nails really look similar to the monthly special. Also the monthly special looks alot different in person than they do on Instagram. On Instagram they appear severely edited. (I have attached those photos for comparison) I want to clarify I DO NOT think the nails are ugly. They are just fine, and could be improved. I just don't think they're to my liking or up to my standards of nail art that someone would pay for. The salon people are very nice and the atmosphere is nice as well. Booking and appointment super easy. Overall experience everyone was kind and helpful. They even gave me a 10% discount since my appointment time was scheduled wrong on their end. However, I genuinely do not like how my nails came out. I got the monthly special on my natural naked nail(which included the use of overlay). I misunderstood how that works, and that I admit is my mistake for not reading carefully. The monthly special just to clarify for anyone that you can choose 4 of 5 accent nails shown on their ig and then get a color to fill the rest of the nails. I did ask for an estimate for doing all accents on each finger, which would be about $165 more or less depending on the art. Last time I came to New York I went to Krystal Oh's nail salon.This is just my opinion, but Krystal Oh's nail salon does monthly sets for $90 on natural nails and their techniques and execution are much better (also they have a more wide variety of cohesive designs). And they definitely put more effort in trying to recreate what they put out on their Instagram. I think I just didn't get the right nail tech for me. And I likely won't go back to this salon, but it was nice trying a different place.

I’ve been going to Gianni monthly for over a year and a half now and every single time my nails come out perfectly! The salon is clean and comfortable, and the receptionists are always super friendly and helpful with scheduling or rescheduling appointments. Gianni always matches my inspo pics exactly, and takes her time to clean and prep my nails - which is probably why my nails can last up to 5-6 weeks without chipping! I always get compliments on my nails from friends, coworkers, and strangers everywhere I go and have referred all of them to Akiko!

It’s funny how their website states how they are so “customer oriented, everything is about customer’s satisfaction”… well in my opinion best customer care is when the service is high quality and wastes the least amount of the customer’s precious time. You can see how my pedicure looked after going to this salon. The first set of photos is made in the salon RIGHT AFTER the service, the second set - at home several hours later…. First of all your regular polish is obviously very low quality, I’m not blaming the technician, it’s not her fault, the polish is terrible. But what happened is that they had only one pedicure technician on a fully booked Sunday and for some reason only she could fix my nail polish but she was already busy with the next client. I believe that when the customer service is truly good, ANY technician can step up and fix the problem, but no, they told me to wait till my technician is free which is a waste of my time and I couldn’t just sit and wait after already being at the salon for 2.5 hours. Respect your client’s time. They did offer me to come any day in the next 7 days to change the polish but that’s even a bigger waste of my time!! Plus I was leaving for vacation the next day. So yes I went to my vacation with these nails. My manicure looks pretty good however the technician was a bit too rough with the machines and her station was pretty filthy. Never coming back to this place. 120$ for what you see in the photos is pretty ridiculous.

I don’t usually leave Google reviews, but yesterday’s experience was so exceptional that I couldn’t pass up the chance. I got a manicure with Stav and she did an incredible job. She was attentive throughout the entire session and really open to my nail design ideas. I mentioned that I tend to get anxious during cuticle cutting due to some bad experiences at other salons, and she was so gentle and mindful—it made a huge difference. For the first time in a long time, I felt completely at ease. The receptionist (I believe her name was Maria?) also added to the positive atmosphere. She was welcoming, friendly, and even offered tea or water during the service - extra points for that! Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the management. As the last client before closing, I didn’t receive a greeting from them when I arrived or even a simple “goodnight” on the way out by them. It’s small things like that which shape the overall impression, and it’s up to management to lead by example. The staff can only do so much in creating a consistently warm, professional environment. Just my 2 cents having had management experience. That said, I’m beyond thrilled that I finally got my nails done by Stav. After all these years, I can confidently say she knows her craft and does it beautifully. My only regret? Not going to her sooner!

Came in for the monthly special and left feeling like I overpaid. It felt like my artist was unfamiliar with the monthly special designs. She also had on super long nails that made her handling of my hands kinda awkward. While prepping my nails, I got cut twice on my cuticles. The nails were just okay and overpriced. Facilities looked nice and clean though.

I have been going to AKIKO for a while now and it’s 100% worth it the work and the effort that goes into the nail art is truly amazing. The staff is super friendly and are very attentive with the service given to costumers. My nails have never been stronger after getting extensions, and sets have never been more durable after a month like the ones I’ve gotten at AKIKO. I truly recommend this place it’s amazing!!!

Came here in October and had a gel manicure with semi-intricate Japanese design by Taco. I am very happy with how my nails turned out in terms of texture, colors, and style. Although it was my first time here and also getting a more intricate nail art, I would recommend it! Taco was wonderful, artistic, friendly, and the space was clean and pleasantly decorated.

I've come here tons of times and have generally had really positive experiences and always get compliments on the super cool designs. The last time I came in though I had week old hard gel fills from another salon-- and instead of working with it they completely removed it and redid it which ended up being SUPER expensive. I probably should have requested a different appointment so I'm at fault too, but I was surprised.

Mediocre. Mediocre. I get Russian manicures exclusively in Washington DC & traveled to NYC for the weekend and decided to pop into this salon. Nail art isn't possible if you're placed with the nail artist Anna. Requested a simple design but her execution was really bad. Over 2 hours for hard gel & I had to point out to her the excess nail polish left on my hands. Customer service isn't good - prob just this specific person. Beyond disappointed & should have gone with my gut and booked at Sweety Salon. I don't recommend.

!!!WARNING! MAJOR HEALTH HAZARD!!! DO NOT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS HERE. I am a physician (MD) and natural nail enthusiast. I was very excited to try this salon however my first (and last) appointment could not have gone any worse. I received a mani/pedi here. The tech (Tania) repeatedly used tools on my feet and then placed the tools on the bare floor. This went on for the entire duration of the appointment. She did not once clean them or attempt to place them on a towel in between uses. Frankly, I was in shock. I could not believe a hired licensed professional would do this. I left a google review outlining my experience at this salon and "owner" replied, implying that what I shared wasn't true. Obviously, I would never accuse anyone of such behavior and complain without having photo and video evidence which I plan on submitting to the state and city with my official complaint. I have reached out several times to the salon, asking to speak with the owner and was redirected to email instead. I asked for the licensing information of the tech and of the owner which was never provided. I was then contacted by a private number from a man who identified himself as Rueben, the Akiko escalation team member who was completely clueless regarding my complaint or even why he was calling me. I am in the process of reporting this incident and salon to NYC and New York State. And strongly considering escalating the issue even further now, given how uncooperative and insulting this process has been in dealing with this salon so far. I was initially just going to let it go until I realized this salon/owner couldn't care less about providing service that abides by NY state sanitary guidelines, and that's dangerous for anyone considering paying for a service at this salon. The way they are handling this issue is absolutely disgusting and although I would much rather not have to deal with this, it's more about the principle than anything else, and that's a strong motivating factor. I shouldn't be surprised by the way management is handling this issue when they train their technicians to use tools off of the floor. This behavior is actually on-brand. Incompetence at its best.

Came in for the November special and got 4 accent nails with my gel mani for $75. The salon was clean, open and comfortable with a nice waiting area. My nail artist let me pick the design and then proceeded to file and e-file my nails and cuticles with care. I picked the abstract nail and swishy mail from their November options. The nails came out nicely done and have been in good shape for about a week. The only reason for 4 and not 5 stars is because the swooshy design lost its definition during the process and I didn't notice til later in the day. See pictured!

Very disappointing. After paying a fortune for a hard gel mani and gel pedi, I was able to enjoy them for a week before my pinky started to lift. After 2 weeks, I had only 3 nails which were not lifting or falling off. This is unacceptable for the amount I paid. Even my middle toes on my pedicure have chipped, which is unusual. I am on vacation and unable to get them fixed. So so so upset about this. I will never come back unfortunately.

Very nice place, great nails , crazy expensive! Never spent $260. On nails. But this is what they look like.

Had an appointment with Yumi and I'm super satisfied with the results. I will most likely request Yumi the next time I come back for nail services. I got the February 2022 monthly special with 1 nail extension to treat myself as it was my birthday. I picked the 2 designs and colors I wanted and let Yumi decide which nails to place them on. Since posting them on my IG, I got so many compliments from friends on my nails. That's how you know it was great! The entire experience was relaxing and therapeutic. The vibes in Akiko are always chill spa vibes. It puts me in a zen mode and sometimes I get very sleepy during the session LOL. Definitely coming back for nail services in the future!!

I've been coming to Akiko for the last three years. I love it here!! Especially the rose scented humidifier that fills up the room. I make it my business to always see Eli every 3 weeks, she Always provides great service and fun nail designs. She has helped me grow my natural nails nicely: strong and long ! It's a lil pricey here but whenever I leave I'm always happy, so i guess it's worth it.

Kana absolutely delivered. I showed her a picture of the nails I wanted and they came out even better than imagined. Looking forward to returning! :)

I come to this studio for one artist. She's just amazing. The other artists may be great, she's just my preference. My thing with this establishment is more so the receptionists. Today I went in for a color change (chrome) and was charged $50, which is the price of a gel mani somewhere else, so a steep price for just a color change. On my way out as I'm about to pay the receptionist says "$50, cash tip for the artist?" before I could fully get to the desk. I hand her $50 and she repeats it not once, but two more times. Now I don't know what she was going through with that, but please relax. This only makes me think that 1. You have zero sense 2. That the artists are severely underpaid. While I have never come in and not tipped 20% (at MINIMUM) and don't take her silliness personally, the way she pressed was absurd.

They charged my card $170 today when I havent booked an appointment. It's required to add card info to make a booking inquiry. Needless to say i will not be coming here. Straight up scammers, and no time to sort this out with the bank as i have a work trip so i just have to deal with them possibly doing more :(

The most I've ever paid for nails in my life... I'm all for great quality and art. But paid 225 for marble, when I was quoted for 180. The nails were ok I wouldn't say 225 . Couldn't even offer me water, lotion for after and honestly Felt they could care less about my experience.

Enjoy going here. Nail techs super nice, patience as you figure out your color. Everyone is very friendly

Only giving 3 stars one for the aesthetic, receptionist & quality of the products used. I walked in & instantly you feel at ease & happy the ambiance was great. I called for an acrylic nail removal (1nail) & simple overlay, while the other 9 had no or tiny chips stuck by my cuticle line that I could not on my own remove I was charged for a full removal of all 10 which confused even the receptionist. Once I chose to get a simple polish vs the overlay nail tech rushed to the desk to express how "I already mixed my acrylic I make it so ...." (couldn't whisper) and came back to me w/ the same unwelcoming sarcastic attitude that she greeting me w/. Indica even more about how she was thrown by me changing my mind. I am a service provider myself (Salon owner) & could not believe the things I picked up on. She had a very short nasty vibe and did not like MY PREFERENCE on changing my service bcz I wanted to leave asap bcz of her energy but also needed my nails done. I all in all recieved the acrylic nail removal (1nail) & black solid gel no acrylic no tip, no manicure, no design my total was $99! she said even if it is one nail Im charged for all which was BS she was mad that I changed the service taking away from her profit it was evident. the receptionist looked like she felt bad for even taking the techs side & charging me that but I know salon language and I knew I was so heated I just paid left and made sure to take the time to warn people of the tech she had very long exaggerated nails with charms and works at the last station & the only unpleasant 1(didnt catch her name). Seems to know alot about her craft & is neat but baby the customer service and people skills are horrible! If you dont care about who touches you & energy exchange she may work for you just ask for the price first bcz she is sneaky & a smart ass who thinks you don't pick up on the pausing & blank look or when I ask a question about MY NAILS seemed childish so it didnt bother me but the price thing made me feel robbed almost.

I see Yayoi and she is amazing cannot recommend enough. They listen to what artwork you want and freehand the art and it's impeccable.

Got Gel X Extensions and felt pretty decent about the service at first, but some nails broke off after only a week and I wasn't rough with my nails at all. I didn't mind paying because the quality of art was nice, but the nails themselves were not worth it for what I paid.

I live a block away and always walk by this place and it looks super cute inside. I was on the Pulsd app and noticed a gel manicure deal for $29 here. The scheduling was really complicated online but the receptionist ended up calling me and had a time right away. She was kind of off-putting & trying to rush me off the phone-- for what? The lady who did my nails was great and I really liked her. My main complaint: I do not understand how a single line on each of my nails is considered a simple "design" and would be an addition $5 per nail. She told me it would be extra but I was unaware it was an extra $45 to make it into a French manicure. I would have asked for more of a design if I knew I was paying so much extra. I think this place is good for super complex nail designs and if you want to pay way more than you have to.... in conclusion I'm never coming back lol

The nail technician although very sweet and nice did take forever to finish. My nail did chip literally the day off and the gel did not even make it a whole week. For the amount I paid, I could have gone for 5 mani pedis at a regular salon. The manicure looked nice when it was done but everything else was very mediocre. Not recommending. Spend your money elsewhere.

Look they do a great job. I can't argue with that. especially during Covid, they lock their doors, they check your temperature before entering and they make you wash your hands. It is an incredibly safe and clean feeling once you're in the salon. However, they are incredibly overpriced to the point of being absurd. I went in three weeks ago for an apres nail application and I came out with a $200 bill. I'm really not sure how it ended up being so expensive. $40 for apres nails $5x per nail design ($50 total) $50 for solid color?? Still ends up at $140 so I'm not sure how I paid $200. Shocked by this price, I leave feeling eh but at least my nails are pretty. One week later, a nail falls off. I call to let them know and I come in for a fix. I tried to give the nail artist a tip and she points me to the register, where they charge me $11 to fix my nail... Who does that? Your customer pays $200 for nails one week ago which are supposed to last a month, one falls off and still am charged? I don't care how pretty they look, a rip off is a ripoff.

I couldn't believe how expensive this was. Gel x extensions and pedicure both French was $275. I can understand prices in NYC are a lot, but this is on another level for pretty mediocre services. The nail tech was super slow and kept removing and reapplying the French tip polish, almost like she couldn't do it even though French is pretty basic and standard? Save your money - they are literally robbing people.

Horrible! I've been doing gel manicures for over 10+ years Never any problems, until I came to this nail salon. All 10 fingers damaged. Some techs don't follow Japanese techniques of applying cal gel. The gel is not cured properly which causes damage to the nails. Never going back to Akiko nails. Save your nails, find another studio!!

If I only I took a look at Yelp reviews - this place is BAD NEWS and every bad review from this place is VALID. I paid $208 for gel-x apres nails with "semi" simple art, only to have 5 of my nails come off within a week's time and to feel like they were definitely up charging me at time of check out (it took them a whole 15 minutes to decide my price point and it KEPT going up) - absolutely ridiculous. BUT wait, it doesn't stop there. Customer service is an ABSOLUTE shit show. I was charged a $5 late fee even though their website specifically specified that I would be given a grace period - they shot back at me saying that their emails specify less than 15 minutes when it was 20 minutes on their website, but isn't that the fault of your on business for not updating your website to align with your emails? - what are customers supposed to assume? I had to fight tooth and nail to get a refund (they didn't refund my tip though LMAO), because boy did they not want to give it to me. After I flagged the discrepancy on their website vs email, can you believe they had the actual audacity to gaslight me and say that the website reflected the changes, ONLY AFTER I FLAGGED IT and their own employee confirmed that it hasn't been updated in years over email?? LOL I cannot lie about this shit, they were legit like WHERE? Thankfully your girl took screenshots and caught their lying asses. DO NOT come here - the nail artists were nice and they did offer to fix my nails but after being gaslit and having to commute once already to have them fix my nails and then still have it break? Nah no thank you, not with their shitty customer service. Wasted my time and money giving this place a chance.

This place is beautiful from what I did see they are following covid protocols which someone commented on in an earlier post and that made me want to go here (in addition to the beautiful designs). The receptionist told me they were running behind, no big deal it happens but after 15 mins I had to ask when I might be seen. She said a few more mins the tech was taking pics. Ok, you did a hot set, get your pic. But to a point that you have a waiting client, going on 20 mins behind and you have this man stand next to where I'm sitting to take pics of his nails against his outfit... lol smh I love a good keke and no need to be rude to the customers but you're continuing to engage and ask to see fashion week pics when you know you gotta clean up, use the rest room and reset your station and again going on 20 mins behind. I just figured hey, I get it-you don't care. I'm not even mad bc I can take my business elsewhere but for the price point and just common courtesy...come on.

I've been getting regular manicures for over 15 years and my experience at Akiko has by far been the worst. I'm incredibly disappointed with the quality of the manicure + art, and the subsequent disrespect and mistreatment I experienced from management. I'm including more details below in case anyone is interested, but in summary there are many great salons and nail art studios in NYC, and I would highly recommend looking into other ones before booking an appointment at Akiko. I went in for a gel manicure + nail art for a vacation I was going on later in the week. I presented the art I wanted, and long story short, ended up with a very messy manicure that looked nothing like the photo. The artist asked me to check the design and when I pointed out the mistakes, she said it was too late to fix. I wasn't sure what to do and didn't want to be too combative, so I ended up paying (a lot) for it and leaving. The friend I went with agreed that my manicure was poorly done and encouraged me to go back and ask what they could do to fix the mistake. When I went back that same day, the receptionist agreed that it was poorly done. She said they could re-do it free of charge, or if I emailed management, I could ask for a refund. Given they didn't have appointments available for me to get it re-done before my vacation (which is why I wanted the manicure), I said I would email and ask for a refund. When I emailed, I was told they don't do refunds. We went back and forth via email a bit, and I also received an email with several drafts (accidentally) attached between the receptionist and the owner stating they could do a refund, but didn't want to offer it to me. When they continued to deny a refund, I then tried to book my complimentary appointment (after I already went on my vacation), and instead of the appointment being complimentary, they said I would get a voucher for less than half of the cost of my original manicure. This was not what they originally offered. The poor customer service and refusal to make their mistake right is the primary reason I wouldn't recommend Akiko. It's not about the money at this point, but the disrespect. If you are considering booking an appointment, I would recommend keeping my experience and others' 1- and 2-star reviews in mind.

I booked a full UV set and November special with pearl design the day before Thanksgiving as a trial run to see if Akiko would be a good place for my wedding nail appointment booked in December. When I sat down, the tech asked if I wanted to switch to soft gel tips, but I declined. That should have been a red flag because I specifically booked a full set so I could get fill ins before my wedding, whereas her suggested service was temporary. The nail tech took considerably longer than other techs I've had to apply the hard gel and shape, kind of glooping it on as many inexperienced with UV gel do. Subsequently, my thumb bubbled while she was filing, and she had to reapply and file again. When I asked if she'd be thinning it out, she said yes. Then when she finished and asked me to check the shape, I asked for it to be thinner because they were pork belly thick. She tried arguing with me, saying she can't and they're fine. I said I'm not going to argue with her about how I feel but ok, and she thinned them out to a less obscene thickness. I had to switch to a single color instead of design because the filing and application took longer than it should have and the color selection wasn't great. I did appreciate that she decided to put 3 coats on since it was a sheer polish. This manicure was simply not worth $114 plus tip, so I canceled my wedding appt on the spot. Second and last time I'll try Akiko.

I got my nails done as a self reward for making it through a very stressful travel therapy assignment. I had been following Akiko Nails on instagram for a month and chose a few designs. so I was excited to finally make an appointment and spent $226.00 which is way more then I'd ever spend on my hands but I figured the pics looked really good. I am visiting from Hawaii ....boyyyyy after just a week 2 nails broke and all the others the polished peeled off. Just be aware looks are deceiving even if they get "likes " on IG.

I have been coming to Akiko for over a year and now have had 2 horrible experiences with this team. 1) Back in July I got my nails done for a wedding I was in and after 2 days they completely bubbled and were disgusting looking. (picture is pink in the recent pics from this place). 2) I had an appointment for THREE MONTHS in which they made an error and incorrectly added only 1 customer and not 2 as I had requested. The day before I called to confirm my reservations and was told "whoever" booked me must have made an error.... Paulina her name was Paulina and it was written in the email that I had received from her. That is NOT my fault as a good loyal customer... I am incredibly disappointed as upon letting the person, Sara, on the phone... she did nothing to try to fix the problem and even mocked me by continuing to say she could not "inconvenience customers" to help me..... WHAT AM I?????????? Don't waste your time on this place.

Price: $90 not including tip I usually do nail art in flushing cuz of the fair price and high quality nails service. But today I decided to drop by Akiko and give it a try because of the location and previous reviews. I ended up being very disappointed. Forgot which stylist did my nails, but she cut my lateral nail fold during gel removal, didn't apologize AND she left extra gel on the back of my nail that I had to clean up by myself. I've never had a worse manicure experience than this, and I was charged twice as much as in flushing for the exact same thing (gel removal + gel polish with gradient effect on all fingers). The two stars are for the store environment and front desk service. Thank you guys for serving. Hope others enjoy your nail service more than I did.

TDLR: Beware this business. Take your money elsewhere. OK-nail art, horrible customer service, poor hygiene, unfriendly technicians, overpriced. This place came highly recommended from a friend and I'm so disappointed in the product and my overall experience, especially considering the high price point for services. She probably worked with one of the better nail techs. For my appointment, there was no indication that tools were being cleaned before or after each use nor was there the use of fans while using the nail drills. My technician drilled down a little too far on multiple nails, and when I brought it up to her nicely, I was met with a passive aggressive attitude and made to feel unsafe. The customer seated next to me was even shocked, and checked in on me after my appointment ended to see if I was okay. She would get frustrated very easily and pull aggressively at my fingers. When I asked her to stop pulling so hard and explained to her that she was hurting me, she just stared at me and rolled her eyes. The nail art itself was fine, but nothing that couldn't be done at another salon, by a technician that values good hygiene and a positive, comfortable client experience. For $200, you should leave the salon feeling good, relaxed, pampered - and wanting to return for a future appointment. It will take me a while to even consider coming back to this salon, and if I do, I'll make sure to work with another technician.

So happy with my gel x from Norie. Always a little skeptical with these "hype" spots but they did not disappoint.

After having a very bad experience with a nail tech, I was very happy to have found a place like Akiko. I started coming to Akiko in June of this year where I got serviced by Mimi. Getting my first appointment was a piece of cake, but every appointment after that has been hard to make if you don't make it before you leave. I loved having Mimi do my nails because she worked efficiently and was very fast and skilled. I'm talking done within an hour and a half whereas I've sat for over two hours with other artists. I usually get Apres nail sets but have also gotten gel manicures. I don't want to say that this place pushes for you to get nail art but they kinda do. When I came a few months ago to get a simple French manicure, I was told my nails are too short and it wouldn't look nice. So the artist had me search through Instagram looking for a design that I really wasn't head over heels to get. Since then my nails have grown with Akiko but they also grew extremely weak. Another one of my friends hasn't gotten her nails done since August at Akiko and her nails are still breaking and yes she got them removed there as well. If you're coming to Akiko please be prepared to spend an arm and a leg. But also understand that your nail price can be different depending on the receptionist. One receptionist is so condescending and it seems like she categorizes the designs as the most expensive. She also forced me to pay over 20% tip because she said it was against NYS law to do anything less. The other two receptionist are really kind and sweet and pretty level headed when ringing you up. I do love my nails from Akiko, and they last me for a longggggg time. But I may shift gears from them as I really do care about my nail health and want my nails to not only grow long but strong as well.

Not my favorite experience. I came in last night for Apres Gel extensions and their monthly special design. I emailed ahead of time to inquire about the exact price for what I wanted and was quoted $105. The design the tech gave me looked nothing like the monthly special and when I went to pay, I was told the special only covered 4 nails- AFTER the service, not in my email or when I was discussing services with the nail tech. The price then jumped from $105 to $170- absolutely outrageous. I feel taken advantage of and tricked. Also- I arrived at the shop and southern rap music was blasting- unedited. I was the only Black person in the salon. The nail techs, receptionists, and other customers were not Black. This is not a Black owned business, from what I know. "Get on My Level" by Trillville BLASTING while Im supposed to be in a relaxing salon? It was a bit jarring. This is 2021- the lack of cultural respect was pretty amazing. Clearly this business doesn't care about how they come across to Black customers. For the entire two hours, I was there, I heard n**** come through the speakers hundreds of times. Shocking. Overall, wouldn't recommend. Go to somewhere with more transparent pricing where you won't be disrespected or taken advantage of.

The one star is for customer service. Everyone is sweet and responsive. I took away four stars because my bill came out to $193.00. $230.00 with tip. I got a very short gel extension and a semi-simple design (design alone was $75.00). My first nail broke literally 3 days after getting them done and the pictures below are exactly 1 week from getting them done. I'm 3 nails down and there are 3 nails with cracks in them so I am sure they will be gone by the end of this weekend. I have not banged my nails or done any extraneous work, this is literally just happening for no reason. Never in my life have I spent so much for nails and never in my life have they broke off this fast, EVER! Complete waste of money definitely robbery. Maybe a manicure can work in this place but definitely a waste of money. Simple nails like this should never cost this much.

When I left it was decent but not amazing considering the price. The gel lasted THREE DAYS before it turned yellow and chipped. Service was not great. Went to the place a block away to get it fixed and a full gel for absolutely better result, way better service, and for half the price. -- Was really excited to go here because I always walked passed it after work. The decor is cute and trendy, everyone looks so professional as well with designated receptionist and all. My friend and I went there to get our nails done for a hand photoshoot we're going to do the next day. Since its an important shoot we might as well go treat ourselves in a "professional" place. We, however, had the worst experience starting from booking till the end. Booked for two, one gel and one regular manicure. When we came the lady insisted that we booked two gel and one manicure. Almost got charged a "no show fee" for it as I put down my card to confirm the appointment. My friend got the regular manicure and the girl who did his nail were unresponsive to his requests and was chatting with the other girls instead. His nail ended up wayyy too short with cuts on his cuticles. the tip of two of his fingers were uneven & scratched as well. The lady who did my nails were quiet, but after my friend came to me and complaint about his nails I figured maybe she will try and do my nails properly. Heard her cursed under her breath after my friend left, rude. When I left it looks ok, good enough for the shoot but not amazing. It looks so bad THREE DAYS after and I had to go somewhere else to get it removed.

Honestly, I really wanted to love this place after doing a lot of research on best salons for nail art, but I'm actually pretty disappointed and don't see myself going back. I was able to book an appointment with two days notice. Everyone was very friendly. The salon was very clean and my nail technician was very nice. Even so, I'm disappointed with my experience. First, I booked my appointment for hard gel extensions plus nail art. When I went to pay, I was told I was given soft gel (which cannot be filled in...). Also, for an almost $200 manicure, the attention to detail should have been better and these should have lasted a lot longer. 8/10 nails I got tie dyed tips. As you can see in the pictures, the color wasn't put on great. Only one coat was used so the colors are very pale (supposed to be neon). Also, a lot of white is showing on a lot of the nails which was disappointing. One of my two nails that were tie dyed chipped within two days of getting the manicure-super frustrating for an almost $200 manicure. Also, within a week one of my nails came completely off while I was just sorting through a stack of papers-that should never happen. The last manicure with extensions/nail art I had done somewhere else cost less than $100 and lasted almost a month before one of the nails slightly chipped. For the price, how easily they chipped, and how fast they fell off (one week and one day later), I unfortunately just don't think I'll be coming back.

I LOVE this nail salon! I came from a regular old neighborhood place, and it just doesn't compare! Akiko is a small place, but not uncomfortable, it's more cute, and intimate. There's also a downstairs, where lashes and waxing services are done. Really nice atmosphere, plus there's always good music being played. I've gotten my nails done by J, since I've started to come here -- she's hella chill, super sweet with great convo. Bonus, she always slays the designs I have in mind. I tell her what I'm thinking about, and she elevates my idea. The services can be pricey, especially depending on the design you're getting, but IMO you're paying for quality. I only get acrylic with gel polish, and I've easily gone 3 weeks without needing to do my nails. I definitely recommend if you're into nail art!

Definitely a salon that puts a lot of care and emphasis into making their appointments run properly and that their clients are happy. I've had a few hiccups during my 4 visits but they go above and beyond to ensure it's a satisfactory experience after it all.

What started out as a 3-star rating has quickly plummeted. If I could leave the rating at 0 I would. I got my nails done on April 1st. I booked the Apres set with a design. Self-care treatments are supposed to be one's time away from the world a de-stressor if you must. I did not feel relaxed or at ease the entire time. I've been getting Apres sets for the last year. I'm particular about the shape I like and the quality, which is why I decided to give this place a try. They did not have the length and shape I normally get. Ok, cool no biggie. Per my receipt for a short Apres set with a simple design on 10 fingers, I was charged $165.00 plus a tip the total says $194.70. But I remember being charged $202.00 and my card statement states the same. What is the price discrepancy for? Again even with that let it go did not bring it up. I left for vacation on the 5th, by the 6th I noticed two of the nails lifting by the 7th the two nails were gone. On the 9th a third nail popped off. Their policy mentions situations can be rectified within a week of service. I'm out of the country so I said I'd reach out when I get back just so they could know I was dissatisfied. Nails lifting and coming off by the 6th and 7th are 5/6 days within the week. I email, I'm told I can come in to get a comped fix. I think the misunderstanding started here. In my mind, you are redoing the entire thing because the work is shoddy and the nails are all lifting off. I get there the nail tech inspects them and says I only have time to fix 4 nails. So obviously with you saying that you know the rest of the nails are not up to par. At this point I'm very confused what do you mean you can only fix 4 so the other 6 janky nails will fall off while I have 4 fresh ones. She tells me I can talk to the receptionist. I go and speak with the receptionist and it is obvious that I'm getting upset. She says no notes were indicated that I'd need a new set. Apres is a system that does not do refills, again why would I only want 4 new nails. She then says I'd have to come back another day because the bookings would be backed up to accommodate me. Again, why is that my problem if your schedule would be backed up you inconvenienced me I now have to travel here and back a third time for a mistake on your part. So I am put in the schedule for a soak-off and a new set for the 11th. Still upset but a little content now. An hour passes I get this text: "Hi Judean, we are very sorry that we could not accommodate you today for the full service. Our policy for complimentary repair is one week from the original service and we cannot guarantee it after a week. Therefore unfortunately we cannot offer a complimentary full redo service. However we would love to offer you 50% offers your next service and we'll try to find out how it happened and make sure it'll stay on longer next time. Please let us know if you'd like to confirm with the booking. Thank you for your understanding." Now I'm MAD MAD, and feel I was simply told something to pacify me and get me out of the shop so I was not the angry black woman making a scene. I replied and stated I was not happy at all and would also like a refund. They stated they are not able to issue refunds but are still pushing the 50% offer as well as the fix for the 4 nails, which I need to confirm the appointment for. I decided to cool off and reply this morning stating I will accept the appointment to fix the nails. As I've been vigorously typing this review my right index finger has also flown off. So I'm now missing 5 nails and awaiting a confirmation text/email to the appointment. At this point, I no longer want anything to do with this establishment and I don't recommend it, because clearly my time and money are of no value.

I have been a regular customer at Akiko Nails since 2018 and I absolutely love the service and quality of manicure I receive here. The technicians are fabulous; especially Elle and Yayo!!

I get very long acrylic nails and refills once a month nand if you want them to be done right, they take a long time. The girls at Akiko are so patient and so detail oriented and my nails always come out looking incredible. Yukako and Yayo have done my nails before and did a wonderful job. For the past several months, I've been getting my nails done with Michelle and she is so amazing and does her best every single time. She is a master with acrylic shaping. I come in with an idea in mind and the design always comes out perfect. I've always gotten exactly what I wanted. Everyone at Akiko does their best to accommodate their clients. They've held the salon open late for me before and never complained. Yes, the pricing is higher than an average salon, but that's because the quality of the work matches the cost. The receptionists are always accommodating and very pleasant to interact with. I LOVE Akiko and always love coming in every month!

Tried Akiko again after a few years with classmates, and I'm so glad that I did! The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating with me and my two friends. My nails have lash quite a while and am so pleased with the color selection, too!

I would not recommend going to this nail salon, and overall I was very disappointed. I paid $180 dollars for a manicure and gel nail art. Four days later, the entire left thumb gel completely fell off without trauma or picking at the nail... suddenly it was just gone. Within one week, all of the gel popped off. While the salon was apologetic, they offered one opening to fix the nail at 4pm that day (I work, I don't have all the time in the world for these things) and one free nail with another full manicure. No thanks.

Incredible nail salon! It is a little pricey but totally worth it. I got gelX extensions and they're perfect! Exactly what I asked for. The salon was beautiful and was extremely clean and calming, and everyone was incredibly kind and knew what they were doing. I highly recommend Akiko Nails for nails in NYC!

My technician Isa was very nice and did a great job. However, the pricing I booked for did not match their website and when I went to pay the price was 215$, way more than I was expecting to pay. I was under the impression my nail set would be around $125. If I were to pay that much I would expect someone to confirm prior to the appointment that this is the cost of service. I also was extremely disappointed in the quality of the nails long-term: they popped off after 1.5 weeks and for the price I expected them to stay on for at least the standard 3-4. Extremely extremely disappointing

First off - If i wasn't rating the salon as a whole, I would give nail artist Yumi 5 stars. She was super friendly and she helped me find the right colors for my desired manicure and design. She took her time and was attentive to detail...thanks, Yumi! My appointment was at 5:30pm on a Sunday - I think it was the perfect time to come because it was quiet and the staff wasn't rushing to get people in and out. I'm giving 4 stars mainly due to the pricing, it's a bit steep but I'm not surprised due to the salon's Manhattan location. I paid $65 (before tip). I do appreciate that they were super transparent about the price and the charges involved. Overall I love the way my nails turned out and I would return to Yumi for another manicure. I will be curious to see how long the gel lasts...I am hoping 3-4 weeks, but we will see

Walking into AKIKO Nails the atmosphere was chill & peaceful. Staff is very professional & friendly. My appointment was for Apres nails with extensions & simple design. I went for my nail appointment on May 31st. On June 1st two of my nails split at the tip and one of my nails completely broke off. I called them & they fixed all of my nails with no charge. June 10th I began to see most of my nails lift up. Currently 7 nails are lifting and 1 nail is completely off. I'm not sure if this was the artist fault or what. Loved my nails for about 4 days until they started falling apart.

Nice space and super friendly staff. I just did a regular nail polish and my nails are bubbling (the paint) after only one day.

I came in for my 1:15pm appointment and waited about 40 minutes to get started. I understand that sessions may go overtime but that should be considered in the appointment booking process. I wish this wasn't a case of expectations vs. reality considering the reviews and higher price point but I'm really disappointed with how they turned out. I showed my nail tech a picture of some gradient purple and pink tones, light (pinky finger) to dark (thumb). Mine is literally painted white on the pinky finger, baby pink colour on the middle three, and a pink on the thumb. They were all differently textured too, some are glittery, some are shimmery, and some are regular. This might be because she didn't organize the colours before she started painting them on. Even the receptionist didn't realize that there was supposed to be tonal difference. :( The nail shape was filed down to a pretty flat apex, and the almond shape is quite inconsistent. When it came time to pay, the receptionist almost charged me $40 instead of $11 for the various colours used. I really wanted to like this place but I did not have a decent experience here.