Galaxy Nails & Spa

Churn and burn is what I’d use to describe this place. I was in and out for a manicure, nails totally dry in 30 min. I also would not call it sanitary, I witnessed 3 people rinse (in the sink, nothing sterile) their metal tools and place them back in the blue ‘sanitary’ medical bag that’s supposed to be used once.
That’s said, my manicure was $ 12, which I would say is par for the course with the experience I had.
Bottom line, if you want a cheap, super fast, ok quality (albeit somewhat sketchy) manicure — this is your place!

You all wanted to hear about my Brazilian, right? Well… let me tell you. I’ve never had such an efficient wax in my life! Amy plucked this bird quickly, professionally and with relatively minor pain (given that some pain in unavoidable). Ten minutes, tops. I know, you can hardly wait to go get your pubic hair ripped off, right?
Bonus: the cost for a wax and pedicure here is less than basic waxing at most places.
The facility is clean and pleasant, and the ladies are so friendly and polite.
Please note, it’s called «Escape» now. You could call it Chlamydia and I would still love it! …just kidding.

I have gone here for several years. Some younger girls there are really good. BUT it’s hit or miss the last few times have been so bad. They are always messing up. I can not remember the last time I left that salon happy or didn’t have to go back to get something fixed. They just do not know how to multitask or manage their time. Not to mention that they love being to hard on your cudicals, and then you bleed. Last time, I left which was today, I left no tip I was so discussed. It will be my last time I ever go there again.

Came here today (open on Sundays, yay!), still trying to find a permanent nail salon. thought this was a good location since I could take care of my downtown errands/​shopping all in one shot.
Got a french shellac manicure and am satisfied with the end result, though not the best I’ve had. I’m mostly just disappointed with the filing as my nails ended up WAY shorter than I’d asked for and the boy doing them made at least two of my nails so uneven that I had to ask the girl who did the polish to fix them (resulting in short nails). That was a bummer.
As for the polish part, I was pleased to be asked whether I wanted the white tips thick or thin. Thick tips always look really «jerseylicious» to me. kinda ghetto gaudy, while thinner ones look a little more polished (though for the record, I kind of like the thick way, too, even though it’s kind of tacky). I ended up with thin ones (though I actually asked for them to be something in-​between), and was impressed that they were done freehand (as opposed to the erasing way w/​the brush dipped in acetone) and came out perfectly straight lines.
I will give this place another shot– and be more vocal about keeping the filing to a minimum…

Ask for Amy she does a very good fill and fast. Less expensive than the place I used to go. Only thing I don’t like is the building, people hanging around in the doorway but the actual salon is nice.

AWFUL. I will not return. I have to say, I had high hopes to start off — I had an great pedicure, for which I probably would have given 4 stars. However, the despicable service I received just after said pedicure is the reason for the one star review. I had asked for a pedicure and shellac manicure. After I was finished with the pedicure, they sat me at a manicure station. Then they ignored me for over forty minutes until I asked what was taking so long, they sat someone down to file my nails and cut down my cuticles (who acted as though this were the last thing in the world she wanted to be doing!). Then she got up and left me for another 15 minutes! By this time, my friend was completely done with her pedicure and shellac, and I was ready to to. They had the audacity to charge me $ 3 less than a full manicure because they had done «so much work on my fingernails already». So I said, fine, paint my nails so I can get out of here. So, she painted my nails (horribly! again, acting as though this were the absolute last thing she wanted to be doing). Needless to say, I will NEVER go back again.

I love how misinformed people seem to be when it comes to nail places in Boston. It really makes me laugh because as far as Im concerned you can’t truley «review» a place after only 1 time of going there. For me I need to try ALLLL of their services before I can actaully have some kind of informed decision on wether I like them or not. So with that said let my review begin…
The place is ok, not horrible but not great either. I wasn’t really expecting that much to begin with considering the fact that it is downtown anyways. I’m not a fan of their arcylics to be honest everytime that I did have them do it they were poorly done and didn’t seem to last that long at all. I would say that arcylics aren’t their strong suit! The pedicures weren’t that bad. I’m extremely meticulous about who does my feet because I don’t want any infections or things of that nature and everytime they did my pedicure it always seemed to come out really nice.
Their manicures are below par I feel they don’t last long and seem to chip either the next day or within a few hours. So im far from impressed with their manicures.
I’ve done the eyebrow waxing and it was ok. I would suggest telling whoever does your brows EXACTLY what it is that you want and how you want them done so there is not confusion. Otherwise you may be very disappointed. Granted they are not the usual people that I go to but when Im in a rush and need them done badly I’ll settle.
Their gel manicures are good I wouldn’t say that they are better than the place that i usually go to but I have no complaints on my end.

This may become my new go to place in Boston. I’m from New York and used to paying only $ 20 for a great mani and pedi. This place charges $ 32 for a mani and pedi, which seems to be well priced in Boston. I went on a Saturday and was seated right away. They did an awesome job, super meticulous cutting, filing, and polish application. I’m pretty picky about how my nails are done and I was actually pretty impressed. They even do gel manicures for $ 25! Gotta try it next time!

DON’T GO HERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO LOSE A TOE NAIL!!!
I have gone to Galaxy Nails three times. The first two experiences were great. Beyond the odd sequence of their operations, the service and quality was up to par for a $ 23 pedicure.
The third and last time I will ever go here for a pedicure was okay at first. It was 5:00pm, therefore it was extremely busy due to being right downtown on a weekday. The service was rushed and it felt like a Chinese sweat shop. My pedicure chipped by the next day which was the first sign of a bad pedicure.
Now, about 2 weeks later… one of my toe nails is legitimately falling off. I wish I was lying – whole nail… off. I’ve heard of this happening in Mexico due to dirty unsanitary tools. I guess I never thought it would happen to me. Oh but it did.
You get what you pay for I suppose…
Bottom line: CHEAP AND DIRTY

Oh dear. I would like to give these guys a better review, but my experience was stressful, which is not a word with which one would want to describe a mani-​pedi. I had what seemed to be a 19-​year-​old boy do my toes, which would have been fine and the end result was good, but it took at least an hour. A woman next to me was in and out with her toes in half the time. I also had a woman start to give me a manicure while I was getting my pedi, and then stop halfway through to go help someone else. My manicure was picked up by someone else after the very long pedi, and all in all I was there for an hour and a half. Made me late for my hotel check out, which was the stressful part. Wish they’d done better.

Against my better judgment, I came in here today to get a fill. I read the reviews but what made me go was that I know a friend that has actually be here before and she said it wasn’t bad. Overall, the end product isn’t terrible. I’m loving «purple with a purpose!»
I work in the area and took a walk over during my lunch, thinking a fill isn’t that long, I’ve gotten fills done in under 45 before. yeah past tense. This took a little over an hour, tsk tsk on me. I dubbed one woman, the mayor who kicked back in the pedi chair and let everyone else work while eating a candy cane. Good for her. The others were playing musical chairs as people came in, I got changed up at one point as well and there was a huddle at another point during my seat time where they all came and watched. Great, probably making fun of me and my fake tan.
The place is on the second floor but clearly marked from outside, there is a sign on the building entrance. The scares are creepy to go up and it’s kinda hidden once you get up there except for the lame sign on the wall with an arrow. BTW, Weight Watchers is next door, FYI in case you’re reading this and wondering.
I’m going with three stars because really when you go to a cheap nail salon are you really expecting that much from them except to have a pretty finished product. The actual fill was good, I was skeptical but it came out alright.
$ 17 for a fill, add $ 5 if you want french. I stuck with the regular fill. Polish selection appears to be good but for me, it wasn’t. I’d never gotten a solid color for a fill before and I did today, «purple with a purpose,’ and I like it.
I’m sure to be back, we’ll see; since I work in the area and I can just go during lunch instead of going elsewhere after work.

Quick and easy. I was attending a conference nearby at the Omni Parker Hotel and had 30 mins to get a Mani. They have a clean bright salon, only $ 10 fora manicure. Does the job.

Climbing up the somewhat creepy stairs to go to Galaxy Nails (which is on the second floor), I thought to myself, «Hmmm…I rarely, if ever, get manicures. But I have an hour to kill here in Downtown Crossing, my purple nail polish is chipping, and I’m guessing this is cheap.»
It was. $ 10 plus tip. Alright.
And it was a good way to spend a half hour. Don’t come here if you’re looking for a perfect job on acrylics, an awe-​inspiring french manicure, or spa-​like pampering. DO come here if you want your nails neat, perfectly painted, and glossy for the next week. I’m still impressed by how long this bad boy’s lasting.
One last thing: Don’t come if you’re a germaphobe. While they’re certainly not unhygienic, it’s not the sort of place that uses new tools on each customer (wasteful, but nice) nor is it a place that goes above and beyond in the disinfecting department.
Thus, three stars. A-​OK.

I have been searching for a new nail salon as I just moved to the Downtown Crossing area and Galaxy is the place. I walked in on Saturday for a mani and pedi and was promptly escorted to a SUPER comfortable massage chair for my pedi. Tam was super meticulous and did a very good job cleaning up my toes. She also listened to me when I told her how ticklish my feet are and as a result this was one of the more relaxing pedicures I’ve ever had. She did a similarly good job on my hands and I must say the hand massage was fantastic! I will be back and highly recommend this place.

I have been to Galaxy Nails about 4 or 5 times now and always have a good experience. The girls are very nice and attentive. They have a broad variety of colors and the polish always lasts.
Now keep in mind this is a walk in, downtown crossing nail spa. Your not going for ambiance, but convenience. It’s clean, fast and serves it’s purpose. I’m my opinion the experience is worth more than the price:)

Update.
Yesterday my coworker and I had a terrible experience here.
We vow to never go back.
My coworker has been a huge supporter of this place for a while now.
She went in for manicure and a fill of her acrylics.
She sat with a new employee who she had never seen before.
This new employee didn’t seem to know how to do it correctly.
My coworker who doesn’t just sit there when getting bad service, suggested a few things in order to help her.
This mystery new employee then asked my coworker if she wanted to wait for someone else to do it.
She agreed of course.
However, she was not reassured of any service that would be happening soon.
I then arrived to get a pedi. My coworker had been sitting and waiting so long that she was itching to get out of there.
Onto exploring new nail places in the Downtown area.

Love this nail place. OPI nail polish, nice people, great atmosphere. You’d never guess you were in Downtown Crossing.
Any time I decide not to paint my own nails, I head over to Galaxy. Times are tough, so I only get my nails done if I’m just feeling really crappy or if I have an event that requires a prettier mani/​pedi than I can do on my own because, let’s be honest, I’m a spazz. I paint more of my skin than I do my actual nail.
The people here are really nice. They talk to each other, but they also talk to you and want to know what’s going on in your life. They always ask questions on how you want your nails to look, and they don’t get frustrated if you accidently smudge a nail. I’ve been to other nail salons that get so angry when you smudge, or who make comments about what you look like that aren’t very nice, but here you can only expect to be treated with total respect. These people really want you to feel good, and they make your nails so pretty. The pedicures feel fantastic, and the manicures are awesome.
I have baby finger nails. They are kind of weak and when they do grow they break easily, so I keep them small. I would walk into some nail salons and they would tell me they couldn’t do my nails (they aren’t THAT small), or they would yell at me (literally — this happened in South Carolina) for my nails. Before I put my hands on the table, I told the man painting them, «I have really small nails.» I put them on the table and the guy looked at me and said, «Excuse me? I am a professional!» He was so much fun, he made jokes about how much we both hated commercials for lawyers, and he never even got the slightest pit of polish on my skin. My sister and I were laughing so hard at how awesome and funny this guy was.
If you need a pick me up, if you have an event, or if you just feel like pampering yourself a little, definitely go to Galaxy Nails. Walk-​ins are available and the place is just beautiful. And OPI nailpolish. Bonus.

I really liked Galaxy Nails. I went in for a French Manicure and was seated right away. (Wednesday, 5pm)
I worked with Tom, yep, a guy! He was really friendly and made small talk about the music playing on the radio and how he likes cheese cake and so on and so on. He was really attentive to my nails, getting all the nicks and clipping even the tiniest little pieces that stuck out. After each polish or buff, he made sure I was happy with the result before proceeding.
Inexpensive ($ 15 before tip for a French). Sanitary; you get your own box of tools each time you come in. Up-​to-​date equipment; UV fans. High-​grade polishes in a variety of shades; OPI. No problems, I’d definitely come back here! Easily-​accessable, a minute walk from Park Street.
Edit ⁶⁄₁₉: These guys have gotten really customer-​oriented! Not only do they have personal boxes, but they now have a mini-​fridge stocked with drinks and sometimes snacks with a sign that says «PLEASE TAKE! FOR CUSTOMER!». Also, you get some sort of discount on your birthday or the days surrounding it. How many nail shops do that?

I checked out Galaxy Nails & Spea on the recommendation of a coworker who likes to go here during her lunch break for manicures. I wanted a pedicure before leaving on vacation. they do have a pretty good selection of different colors but. overall I was not super impressed. $ 25 pedicure looked nice enough as soon as it was done but the woman insisted it was dry after only about 10 mins urging me to leave. needless to say I got the slightest scuff another 15 mins later which took about half of the polish off one of my nails. Sadly, I don’t think I will be back.