Balance Thai Massage and Spa

The setting was relaxing but it was smaller then expected. But the masseuse was very good, it was quite painful and I’m very ticklish but it was relaxing afterwards. However, I felt very sore the day after which went away after a couple days.

Mission location not available. When calling to make a booking you get routed to the Geary location instead, which is in Richmond.

So good! My first Thai massage and with a male masseuse when I usually want a female. Wonderful experience.

I’ve been hooked on Thai massages ever since I studied abroad in Thailand for half a year back in 2010. However, all this time, I never bothered to get massaged by another male because you know… at the risk of sounding a bit homophobic, it’s a little weird and awkward getting rubbed and touched all over your body in such an intimate setting.
That all changed when I stepped into Balance Thai Massage this evening and was fortunate enough to have Keto as my masseur. Let me just tell you that this place is a total game changer for me. Before, I was used to these petite little Thai women walking all over me and bludgeoning me with their feet and stabbing me with their elbows which I still enjoyed, but it comes nowhere close to the precision and firmness from Keto’s actual hands.
Also, most of the places I’ve been to in the past follow a somewhat generic routine even when you specifically ask for them to work on some trouble spots. Tonight, once Keto found a tight knot in my shoulders or saw me wincing while working on my sore quads, he continually worked on it until my body loosened up. So he definitely is attentive and will cater to what you and your body wants.
I was initially brought in to this place because I had purchased a Groupon, but I’d gladly pay full price again for this type of service. Definitely worth coming back here.
To summarize, basically just stay away from Keto because I want him all for myself! Hands down, the best Thai massage I’ve ever received.
As a reference, I’ve also been to Bhawana Thai Massage in the Mission and would much rather frequent Balance over that place.

My first Thai massage last night from Balance Thai was amazing. If you’ve never done it before, it’s more of a focused pressure massage and not a lot of back rubbing. The masseuse will get up on the table with you to position your body and move limbs, applying pressure to a thousand points on your body. It’s part stretching, part massage. You only spend about 20 minutes lying on your stomach. The rest of it is very interactive
My masseuse, Keto, was amazing and a super nice guy. He made me feel completely comfortable. Even though the amount of touching and handling by the masseuse is way more involved than a traditional massage, Keto was so great that it wasn’t weird at all. Right now, I’m feeling super limber and relaxed from my massage last night. Beautiful space and chill vibe– I highly recommend Balance Thai.

my favorite part is when they walk on me.
or elbow me.
its nice with the relaxing music.

Really really good massage. Staff was friendly and helpful. Would go again without the use of a Groupon. Parking was a pain though… welcome to SF.

I had a fabulous massage by Hannah and will definitely be back! She was so incredible strong and, yes, pulled and pushed and pressed in all kinds of zany ways that sometimes made me think, «Is this really going to help me feel better?!» but guess what? It worked. I came with a lot of kinks and pains in places throughout my shoulders and back and left feeling a lot more mobility in previously stiff spots. I don’t recommend for the faint — you will have to do some deep breathing through this massage and sometimes you may think of this more as physical therapy or guided yoga, but it’s really worth it. This place is a gem.

Eastern medicine comes with a price. No pain, no gain. There will be pain. (But it will pass!)
Pressure points will be used and will take time to be released. You’ll have some immediate release, and other results will take a few hours to appear. Traditional Thai massage is intense – at times painful, and not bone-​melting relaxing, because it is MEDICINE. If you can’t accept that, then move along. Try something else. Not all techniques are meant for all. They offer more than the Traditional Thai massage, there are variations. And you can ALWAYS ask them to adjust the amount of pressure used before and during. You will need to relax in order for them to do their work, so don’t fight it, if you can help it. There are certain spots that make me want to squirm. I choose to just breathe through it. Breathing is key to helping you relax and making it possible for them to do their job properly.
My only complaint is their noise level from their front counter and the locked door. It does take you out of the experience. I hope that they read this and find a better way to reduce the noise from the counter, the ringing telephones (back and front), answering machine recording and the intermittent knocking. It’s very abrupt and unpleasant. (I’m hypersensitive to noise, so the ticking of the clock on the wall can take me out of it too.)
Service = Good. Every masseuse we’ve had have been professional, friendly and dedicated to customer satisfaction. This place is also very clean.
Prices = reasonable. They offer specials, so check in on Unilocal for a discounted rate (one time use per coupon) or the buy 3 get 1 free deal. And they also have a Unilocal deal for $ 45 for $ 60 worth of services (e.g. one 60-​minute session.)

Closed still? 9÷20÷15
What a great find in the city. I just had a killer but amazing massage. Lam was great and worked out all the knots on my back. I’m definitely coming back.

Best massage I’ve had to date anywhere!
I didn’t get the masseuse’s name but he was beyond wonderful. His touch was downright magical! He worked out all the knots in my back, vertebrae by vertebrae. Firm, smooth strokes that lasted 90 minutes for the combo Thai. Felt so loose and relaxed after. Jeebus.
The facility is brightly lit upfront but nicely dim in the partitioned massage zone. The rooms are more spacious than most places, effectively eliminating feelings of claustrophobia.
$ 77 if you check in on Unilocal for the 30% off.

Had a prenatal massage with Hanna. Her name should be Magic Hands Hanna! I felt very comfortable with her and she was sensitive to me being 7mo prego — but not overly gentle. The massage was still very effective.
Same great atmosphere — clean, friendly, smells good. Great value! Treat yourself!

Update: the Mission location has been closed for months and months. Call to see if it’s open again because they are waiting for some kind of permit from the city. No ETA.
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I’m going to have to agree with the other reviewer who said: stop what you are doing and go now! Amazing massage at a reasonable price! But if you must know more, read on:
This was my first experience getting a thai massage. For some reason i feel like most places on the East coast are all Swedish massage so it was extremely refreshing to try something new. The spa is very comfortable and the staff is lovely. I enjoyed it so much. Can’t wait to go back. Highly recommend Balance Thai!

I purchased a Groupon for a 60-​minute signature Thai massage. I was able to make a same day appointment and no wait was needed.
I had Hannah, and she was great! So the signature Thai massage is different than the traditional Thai massage; she had me remove my top and laid facing down, then she would use oil to massage on my back, and then get dressed to their «scrub» for the stretching and flexing. Overall, it was a great experience. Though, at the end, she gave me a full facial massage… after her hands massaged the rest of my body (specifically my feet & toes), I kinda feel grossed out a little.
I do recommend getting the signature Thai massage over the traditional one because it somewhat warm up the body/​muscle first.
Ah, I feel much better after that 1 hr of massage!

Had a nice oil massage here and appreciate the nice clean setting and 20% discount.

Is this physical therapy or a massage? Or maybe it is soul therapy? Maybe it is all 3…
Wowie, I got a massage last weekend, and I am getting another one this weekend. I can’t wait!!! After reading the reviews, I am not even going to ask for the same masseur since they all sound excellent.
Thank God for gifted massage therapists!

I got this massage a while ago, so I don’t remember all the details. I had two thai massages two weeks in a row.
The deal I used to come here was amazing. Two people, less than $ 100. 90 mins and 60 minutes respectively.
I might have booked for another location, but they took me in anyways. I felt a bit chilly. I would ask for a blanket on top of me next time. They were very professional and did everything they can to make you feel comfortable. They did a good job working on my problem areas,

After just finishing my 1^st half marathon in the morning, I really wanted a massage to relieve my soreness & tension, especially on my legs. I was considering just resting at home, but as I was perusing through my emails, I saw the Groupon deal for this place. I called to inquire for same-​day availabilities, & they were able to take me in about 40 minutes from my call.
As with other places that don’t have that many reviews yet, I was a bit skeptical about going. I gave it a shot & definitely don’t regret it. Normally when I get massages, my masseuses don’t ask what type of pressure to apply on me BEFORE working on me. It’s kind of just, if it starts hurting, tell them or ache in silence. But NOT today with my masseuse Kathy! :)
When we walked into the private massage space, she confirmed the type of massage I wanted & ask how much pressure I’d like. I requested a 60-​minute oil massage with medium pressure, & I felt it was just right. Because I did have certain areas that were more tender & needed more attention, I wanted the pressure to be lighter on those spots. Even though I didn’t tell her specifically which areas were more tender, she immediately decreased the pressure so I didn’t feel too much pain & discomfort. Maybe she just knew because I become a bit more fidgety.
Kathy definitely took care of me & made sure I always felt comfortable.
For anyone who is curious about the facilities, this place is very clean & welcoming. From the moment I walked in, I was instructed to remove my shoes & use the slippers they provide. On the left side of the room, you’ll find some refreshments (tea, water, & clementines). There are thick curtains that separate the different massage spaces for ample privacy. The restroom was clean. I loved the tiles & dark brown table. Anyway, I digress.
With my Groupon deal, my bill came out to be $ 35 plus a $ 10 tip.
This wasn’t the BEST massage I’ve ever gotten, but it’s definitely one of my top experiences overall.
I’ll definitely give this place another shot & see how my experience goes!

This place is no joke! As part of my healthcare program, I get massaged on a regular basis and take it very seriously. The first visit to Balance a few months ago was good, better than average. My second visit, yesterday, was amazing and probably one of the best massages I’ve ever had. My masseuse ‘jip’ tore me apart and then put me back together — at one point, she stretched out my intercostal which no one has been able to do in the past– it was awesome. The whole experience was pretty painful but I really needed it– the great thing about ‘jip’ was that she didn’t shy away from the tight/​hurting parts– she just kept figuring out how to release the energy blockade. Well done.
The place itself is clean, quiet, efficient and a pretty good value to San Francisco.
I’ll be back soon!

Yesterday, I was at a lunch meeting when the smell of freshly fried McD fries wafted in the air on one corner of the conference room and the sizzling smell of summer at the other end as someone was gnawing on baby back ribs. Paws and all. Shoot, apparently I missed the memo. Next time, I’m bringing a freshly cut durian to the meeting. *Hmmph*
All these deliciously intoxicating smells should of conjured up an insatiable appetite. Instead, I found myself fantasizing about something much more euphoric… getting my chops massaged. It reminded me of the euphoric massage that I received last month at Balance Thai Massage (BTM) and how I never wrote a review for them.
I love Thai Massages and came across BTM while browsing on my Unilocal app. I noticed they were offering a Unilocal check-​in promotion for 30% off. If you don’t have the Unilocal app, they’re offering a 20% off for their grand opening. They’re also offering one free massage if you buy three. You cannot combine offers.
At the time, BTM had only 8 reviews so I was skeptical but their Outer Richmond location had some glowing reviews so I thought it was worth a shot (
). I mean for 30% off, you really can’t go wrong.
Their rates are comparable to Suchada Thai Massage which is my standard for Thai massages in SF (prices below are pre-​discount):
*Traditional Thai: $ 60/​hr
*Thai Aroma: $ 70/​hr
*Thai Herbal: $ 70/​hr
*Signature Thai: $ 80/​hr
*Thai Foot Reflexology: $ 60/​hr
*Combo Thai Massage: $ 75/​hr
Parking is a bit of a challenge so I would allot an extra 10 – 15 minutes to find street parking.
The ambiance is quaint and zen. While we waited for our massage therapists, we sat in their waiting room and was offered tea. I found it amusing that the TV was tuned into Telemundo at a Thai establishment.
The set-​up was similar to Suchada Thai, BTM has a huge room in the back which is separated by burgundy curtains. I believe there were 8 – 10 massage areas. It was very quiet and I was able to fully relax unlike my previous Thai massage experience at Bhawana Thai Massage in the Mission.
Nitty was my massage therapist and she was absolutely fantastic. I went with my usual Thai Aroma Massage ($ 49/​hr after the discount) which combines the stretching of a Traditional Thai Massage and the soothing relaxation techniques from a Swedish Massage.
If you’re a Thai Massage virgin, expect to be sat on, elbowed, twisted, turned, and to be flashing the curtains. But it will be much better than any western massage you’ve had especially if you like it hard.
Nitty checked in several times with the pressure. I like it hard on my back and gentle everywhere else. She seemed to be in tuned with what I like. You pervs can get your mind out of the gutter because I’m not talking about «that».
After Nitty got into every nook and cranny from head to toe, she ended the massage by having me sit Indian style as she stretched me forward and backwards. A very «happy ending» as she gave me a crown massage and one final pounding to the back as a good bye send off.
One of the best Thai Aroma Massages I’ve had and I couldn’t wait to melt into my bed sheets at home.
Oh yah, do not make plans to go out afterwards because you will look like you’ve done the Vegas walk of shame… continuously for a week. But you’ll have that silly grin on your face of pure bliss!