Garden Nails and Spa

Surprised at all the negative reviews. Maybe I just caught a good day, but I thought the manicurist who did my nails and toes did a meticulous job and was very attentive to minute details that could easily go missed by a careless eye. His name was Tommy and I wouldn’t mind him doing my nails again. I also had my eyebrows done and she listened to my preference which was good. Overall the spot is spacious, clean, and reasonably priced so can’t complain.

The nail tech who did my mani/​pedi cut my toe nails down so far the nail bed is exposed & bleeding. My cuticles were bleeding too. He clearly had no idea what he was doing. When I asked him to stop, I was told he doesn’t speak any English. The only other nail tech there, a woman, came over & started yelling at him in Vietnamese. Then she hit & KICKED HIM in front of me. So. Uncomfortable. I didn’t say another word because I thought he would be murdered if I did, so I just paid & left. Outside of this it was clean & $ 25, but I will not be going back. They just don’t know what they’re doing. Don’t waste your time.

Walked in to get a full set one day, surprisingly there was no one there and I thought ok this should be quick asked how much for a full set the very unpleasant lady gave me the price. Asked for a design I thought it was over priced but still accepted, then she started adding more money for this for that, at the end i was very unsatisfied with the design because she was rushing. Pay almost $ 45. Came again for a refill thinking maybe she was having a bad day, and the lady once again very unpleasant proceeded to do the refill and ask for $ 3 more to cut the nails, at the end l left very unsatisfied once again with my nails and with $ 35 bill from I don’t know what… never going back and no one should go there!

It’s ok, I come here because it’s spacious– and has private parking, seems like it is under new management– still have to wait, I don’t think they have enough people working here, but prices are good, and location is great for me, don’t go if your in a hurry!

I randomly tried this salon, and now it has become my go-​to. I have no idea what everyone else is taking about, I love this nail salon and I always come here. They do a great job, quickly and at an affordable price.
Only difficult aspect is the parking lot, which can be tight, but I always find parking so it isn’t impossible.
I paid $ 44 for a gel mani and regular pedi, which I thought was reasonable because its $ 60 at the mall. Also its the cleanest, best looking manicure I have had in a while
They’re awesome ! Give it a try.

Worst nail salon experience ever! The salon was very clean and had a thousand polishes to choose from. However, there wasn’t a customer in sight which I found strange for a Thursday. The young man that did my manicure and pedicure was the worst tech in Dorchester! He shredded my cuticles, unevenly shaped my nails, and cut me twice! But… he did it all with a smile LOL! I asked for a design on my toes (which I should have known not to ask for after the torturous pedicure.) Instead of the tech telling me that wasn’t his speciality, he proceeded to give me a design totally opposite of the one on display. After a miserable 1.5 hours, I left the God forsaken salon with torn cuticles, a horrible toe design, and $ 30 less from when I first arrived. PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THIS SALON! UNLESS IT IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT AFTER THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE :^)

They do not sanitize their utensils. I watched the guy who finished my pedi/​mani rinse off the utensils and then proceed to use them on the next client. Also they do not do a through job when giving pedis. No softener is used, no soap is used when scrubbing your feet nor do they oil your feet. Terrible effort.

Don’t know what happened over the last several months but boy has the service gone way downhill. Pedicure in 30 mins?! Terrible, terrible service. I’ve been coming here since the opened and it was great at first. Always efficient but high quality. They took there time and the outcome was always spot on. Last 4 visits have been lacking today will be my last visit. Sorry to say but there are just way too many options around here to have such terrible service. Disappointing.

This place was pretty good in that I was happy with the finished product (mani/​pedi). Two complaints though. First, not a great selection of polish colors. Second, and this is a deal-​breaker, they do not comply with the state laws regarding sanitation, etc. My friends and I all witnessed them taking used nail files/​buffers out of a drawer and then used them on another client. Very, very gross. My friend also got waxed here once, and said the applicator was used/​leftover from the last client. Even more gross. I can’t say for sure I’ll never be back because they DID do a good job, but I’ll be watching the tools and sanitation much closer.

The worst nail place I have ever been to-​literally. First off, the place is in need of a dehumidifier because it totally smells musty. The design is nice, prices are cheap and music is relaxing but the good ends there. I walked in and was told the wait would be 10 minutes, I waited almost an hour. The pedicure was quick and dirty. The massage, my favorite part was all of 10 seconds. The English was impossible to understand. Now I know why the place wasn’t busy! Do not waste your time!

Worst Salon in Dorchester, or in Boston, possibly in Massachusetts.
I went here with 2 friends one night after work because of a suggestion from a friend’s co-​worker. We called, made an appointment for 7pm for 3 mani/​pedis. Got there at 6:50-picked our colors, sat in the pedi chairs. The woman who did my pedicure was terrible. She was too aggressive with pushing back my cuticles, I cringed and twinged a few times because she hurt me and she cut my nails at uneven lengths. She painted my nails a pale pink and got pink nail polish all over my toes. Didn’t bother to use acetone to remove it, tried to get it off using her own finger nails. I realized how much she had missed when I got home and actually looked closely at my toes.
My friend didn’t enjoy the pedi either, I was sitting next to her and heard her make noises because of the pain from the cuticle trimming. She also was unsatisfied with her mani because there were bubbles in the shellac and she said it was clearly rushed.
I was going to get a shellac manicure, but when the same woman started pushing back my cuticles and cutting them she hurt me and made me bleed. I told her I was all set and I didn’t want color. I told her I wanted her to stop and I would pay for what she performed but I didn’t want a shellac from them. I ended up paying $ 31 for a painful pedicure and a bloody finger.
It stinks because it seemed like they were rushing SO MUCH. If they couldn’t have finished in time why did they accept my appointment time? I will never go here again, I will warn others of this place.
AND they don’t speak English so communicating with them about nail colors or designs is IMPOSSIBLE, a man had to translate to the woman doing my friend’s nails that she wanted a design, it was ridiculous.
Please don’t go here. Please don’t. Please!

I usually go to another salon further down gallivan blvd; but my friend didn’t want to go there since she had an altercation with the owner… and another friend recommended this place. I got a mani/​pedi. During the pedi, she dug and cut the nails on my big toe so deep that my toes still hurt 4 days after. She then proceeded to cut down my nails on my hand without asking. The manicure lasted two days before it began to chip. When I get a manicure, it usually lasts close to the full week. I was also turned off that no one spoke english. I find that very frustrating. I won’t go again.

Ugh worst place ever! I dont normally write reviews but i had to do this one! I paid 52 $ for something totally not worth it. Money is never the issue if the work is done nicely! But i had my nails done french shellac it looks horrible! There were bubbles and the lady missed spot! I was so unhappy that i just wanted to leave! They all must be new because they keep trying to draw designs on my nails for free. I just told them i had to go i couldnt stay any longer. I recommend not coming here.

I was here last Sunday for a pedicure which was more than acceptable. I then took a chance on an eyebrow wax and as usual, they went a little too thin but at least it cleaned up my face so no major complaints… I did not ask the names of either technician but satisfied with the services– probably 3 stars…
I asked about their facials as I have been looking for an inexpensive alternative in between my visits to the Intercontinental Spa in Boston. I love the Intercontinental Spa which I give 5 stars but I cannot budget a visit there every 5 weeks– which is what I really need for my facial needs…
So, After a busy day and long week, I called up Garden Nails and Spa and booked a deep pore facial last night– 3÷1÷13… I was SUPER SUPER happy with their new Esthetician TAMMY. She is an older woman with over 20 years experience as an esthetician. I had a deep pore facial and eyebrow wax and she did everything right. Her extractions were not painful and she had all the standard equipment at her disposal. My face feels and looks as good as any $ 115 facial I’ve had at higher end spots… My only two hangups are 1) it is a nail salon not really a spa so it is not going to be as comfortable, tranquil and quiet as you would like for a facial (Bed small, not very comfortable) but for the price I am not going to complain about that and 2) the quality of some of the products was unknown. I can tell she used a good quality enzyme peel, vitamin C serum and toner but I was not sure about the cleansers and moisturizer. I am DEFINITELY going back and asking for TAMMY and next time I will just ask about the product line.
Tammy was also meticulous with my eyebrows. I hope she stays there but in any case, I will totally take her number down to follow her around. I was there for 2 hours and it only cost me $ 65.00. At this price you are totally able to properly tip your esthetician… She was worth the $ 10 tip!

in addition to my previous review, the ladies of the salon do take forever when it comes to your mani/​pedi. Sometimes it takes roughly 2.5 hours on my basic mani/​pedi. just a FYI

I’ve been here a few times for fills and to have my nail polish changed. As far as I can tell there are only two people there who can actually do acrylic nails — everyone else can only do a straight manicure — panic ensues if you walk in there and want something done on your acrylics if those two aren’t there.
The last time I went to have a polish change, one of the two was there. The person at the desk said she would take me and then she spoke to the tech and I heard her say she was too busy to do it — I look over a few minutes later and she was having her own nails soaked off! You’re too busy for a customer because you have to deal with your own nails first?
Today was the final straw — I called to have my polish changed on my acrylic nails and wanted them cleaned up a little –I also wanted her to look at my nails because they were all lifting up underneath. I asked to come at 12:30 (it was 11:30 when I called) — she says yes, come at 12:30. I get there and she asks me if I can come back in an hour. Um, what? I said I called an hour ago for this appointment. She says well they don’t have good english so they must not have understood you when you called and now I have another customer — a customer who had just walked in right before me — so she took the walk-​in over the appointment!
All set with this place!

Time is of no essence in this place. Don’t even remember seeing a clock on the wall. I went for a mani/​pedi, came out with just a pedi. Yeezzz, My feet aren’t rough, they don’t even need alot of pumicing. Even though woman was pleasant, and smiled after each toe she polished. (maybe she had a foot fetish) I felt like I was being held hostage. I like good service and thorough work, but… Taking almost 2 hours is going overboard in my book. Place is nice and clean, instruments, chairs and tables are up to date. Only visit is place if you have absolutely NOTHING to do on a day.

I have been to the salon a few times in the last year, it was was not the greatest until I met Hong. She is amazing… she listened, took her time and is the manager of some sort. I will agree that two other technicians I had in the past seems to not be up to par with training and skill.

I recently visited this salon and had a mani/​pedi and eybrow wax. I arrived on a Monday afternoon around 2:30. The place was empty. The shop seems new – it was very clean and well decorated with a relaxing vibe.
I’m giving the salon 2 stars only because of the pedicure. The pedicure was decent – I hadn’t had one in months so I had a lot of dead skin which was removed. The lady who did my pedi took a reasonable amount of time on my feet. I didnt feel like she rushed and she didnt take too long.
I got a gel French mani which was advertised as $ 25 in a window sign but I was told it would be $ 30. By Wednesday the gel was bubbling up in the corners of my nails – not good.
The eyebrow waxing was terrible! Horrible even. I had to go home and shave the remaining hairs. A complete waste of money.

I had a completely different experience than Lauren T. I was, however, looking for a relaxing time and wasn’t in any hurry. I actually prefer them to take their time on the pedicure. I was surprised at how roomy and clean the place was. She did a really thorough job on my feet which I appreciated. Honestly, it’s a little hard when they speak NO English, but what can you do? The woman who did my eyebrows was very good. I did get the mani/​pedi combo and while she didn’t take the same time on my hands as she did on my feet, I was fine with that. I asked for her name and will definitely go back.