Massage For Relax

I really fcked up my back from years of poor posture and lying down too frequently. My upper shoulders were in so much pain I was wearing salonpas adhesives everyday. I decided to bite the bullet and check out this place since all the reviews seem to consistently mention that Annie is really tough.
To find the place, there is no sign. There is a black gate that leads downstairs. There are two doors. I accidentally chose the one on the right that leads to a kitchen. For newcomers, choose the one that’s straight ahead.
The massage room does look sketch and unlike any other massage room I’ve ever seen (there’s an exercise bike in the corner). Yet as other reviewers mentioned, it’s a no frills environment.
Now onto the massage. Her massage was incredibly painful. She found every single tense spot and would squeeze it. She found tension in places I didn’t even know I had tension. It was incredible. Even though my shoulders hurt the most before this massage, my legs and feet definitely experienced the most pain during the massage. I thought she was going to crush every single tiny bone in my foot (my feet are relatively small to begin with). I’m going to knock down a star because I felt it was rather expensive and while she used oil to massage me, it was never enough. Half the massage felt like rope burn because she grazes roughly across your limbs with her hands. The skin on my arms still feels extremely tender even a day after.
I’m giving her 4 stars because I feel like other masseuses are afraid to go «too hard.» Even though I was grunting and struggling in pain, she’d tell me «I know, I know» and not really lighten up LOL. But I never got upset because I know my muscles needed the intensity and I trusted her to do what she needed to do to relieve my tension. I really trust this woman because as I mentioned before, she found so many tension spots that I didn’t know existed. Now that I know where they are, I can take further steps to better take care of myself.

Annie is wonderful! This is a no frills place, best suited for people who don’t care about ambiance but just care about results. And Annie delivers results! I usually sit hunched over a computer screen for many many hours each day, and as a result have incredible tight shoulders and back pain. I’ve gone to my fair share of massage places across the city (with prices ranging from reasonable to «welp, guess I’m eating instant ramen for a month»), and Annie is the only one who’s been able to alleviate my back issues. Highly recommend her!

If you’re ever in the area and are in need of releasing tension in your body, Annie is your go-​to massage therapist. She goes super deep and knows how to find all the pressure points with pinpoint accuracy.

I absolutely LOVE Annie. She cracks me up in general and is so awesome. The one thing I will tell you though is my massages aren’t relaxing, quite opposite, but that’s why I keep going back!
She is a deep tissue specialist and knows where to go deep and where not to. Her experience gives her the ability to understand and use the appropriate technique to work out where the root of the problem is and then addresses it, «tight,» and then the path the tightness runs.
I highly recommend but if you like plain Swedish, this may not be your place. Try it though! I’ve stuck with what I love that she does and I’m happy but don’t know her other styles.

My knees were killing me and I was willing to try anything. I was in the area and decided to give it a try. Call for a appointment and Annie answer right away, told her I will be there in a few minutes. Annie was right outside waiting for me. Right after hitting the table she went to work from the top of my back to the lower back. Never had anyone every hit all my pain ZONE starting to feel like a new person with a new body after a few sore days. Oh, my knee pain she fixed it in about 10 minutes and has not bother me since. Yes she has limit English but she knows ALL your pains and POINTS it out! Highly recommend Annie who will work away your deep aches and pain. Price is right too!

Annie is extremely strong! Wow. I don’t even know how it’s possible for her to be that strong.
Great deep tissue massage. Key word being deep. If you’re looking for a super relaxing soothing massage, this is not the place for you but if you want someone who’s going to go very deep and hit the pressure points, Annie is your gal.
Great price, great massage. Location is a little sketchy at first but totally worth it.

Massage for Relax: A 5 star massage mixed with a 1 star vibe.
Honestly, the massage that I received here was not only the cheapest, but the most brutal one I’ve ever had. My husband and I had just spent the weekend moving without help from movers, so needless to say, my body was a total mess. Desperate for some attention to my screaming muscles, I made an appointment with Annie (I live right up the street). My first impression was worrisome, as she could barely speak English and was SCREAMING on the phone. Thankfully I was able to get time and date across. When I arrived, my thought was holy crap this place cannot be up to code. It definitely did not feel clean, nor inviting, as it was a bare space with very mismatched furniture. The massage room itself was a tad frightening as well: a table, desk with a TV from the 70’s, and that was about it. Even the sheets on the massage table gave me a bit of the heebie jeebies.
Thankfully, the massage that I received was well worth the entire experience. Seriously I do not know where she gets all of her strength, because that woman beat the living crap out of me. Her massage did the work of three or four massages combined. Yes, it was the most painful massage of my life, but it WORKED. I felt incredible afterwards. There is nothing relaxing about a massage with Annie, so beware. With that being said, I do prefer my massages to be more like a beating than a back rub, so I got exactly what I was looking for. I probably spent the full hour gripping the sides of the table in pain/​horror, but my body was in total bliss the following day.
Side note: My favorite part of the experience, by far, was the fact that every now and then, Annie would whack my back and scold me, saying, «Take better health! Take better health!» To this day, I still mutter that to myself when I’m in need of a strong massage (which is fairly often).

Annie is amazing. I was a little thrown off when I went there because the place isn’t what you’d expect to find. However, I wasn’t going there for the décor. When Annie came in to start my massage, I began to tell her the areas I was having problems. She quickly cut me off and said, «I know, I know». And she DID!!! She knew all the spots that needed attention, even the one’s I didn’t know about. It was incredible. I left feeling a million times better than when I arrived. I will be back.

Annie is hands-​down the best masseuse I’ve had. Period. I know it sounds extreme, but when years and years of lower back pain, tense shoulders and sore neck disappear — you know she’s doing something right.
Pros:
— Effective, therapeutic deep-​tissue massage: If I’m paying for a massage, I don’t want any of the swedish, hot-​stone shticks. I’m not paying someone to just gently rub oil over me. I want the full blown benefits of a true deep tissue massage. Sure, there might be slight discomfort occasionally, but that’s kind of how acupressure works. No pain, no gain.
— Super reasonably priced: at $ 45/​hour, I challenge you to find a better rate anywhere. This is a steal not just in this city, but in life. Best money you can spend on a therapeutic service for your body.
— Flexible hours: she’s taken my appointment late after work and even on the weekends.
— Generous spirit: I’ve asked Annie why she doesn’t raise her prices, and she said it’s because she derives satisfaction knowing that she can help other people with their pain.
Cons:
— Communication: Her command of English isn’t the best, so please be slow and patient on the phone
— Cash/​check only: I rarely ever carry cash, but I now remember to hit the ATM before I see her
I’ve been seeing her for over a year now and feel selfish for holding off on reviewing… she truly is the best, and I pray that these reviews won’t mean I get to see her less!

Unbelievable, life-​changing massage. People say Annie’s English isn’t great, which is true. She’s got a killer sense of irony though (her place is called «Massage for Relax». With Annie, of course, there’s no relax.
Over the course of a few 1 hour massages she’s eliminated neck pain I’d had for years. Months later it has not returned. Even my posture’s improved [!!!].

I wish I lived here and could visit Annie more often! Wow. She is so friendly and good humored. But seriously. Her massages are the truth. You can expect to be completely demolished only to be reborn and feeling fantastic the next day.

Annie reached into my body through my muscle fibers, massaged my soul, made it scream in agony, then left me there to die. After that, I felt better than I ever have before.

I hesitate to write this review because I don’t want to let Chinatown’s best kept secret out! Annie is amazing, this is by far the best massage I’ve gotten.
Annie brings a whole new meaning to «deep tissue». She has the hands of a 300 pound linebacker and will get any knot out. This is a no-​frills type of place– cheesy Asian instrumental music playing, in her basement, cash or check only, very little english spoken. you get the picture. But, if you are willing to look past those things and can handle DEEP tissue massage, this is the place for you.
$ 45 for an hour?! Tip well, people.
I love this place and will go here as long as it’s open!

I had visited «massage for relax» — that’s the name of the place, I must say it is the WORST experience of my life. I have experienced a lot massages in my life but this was so horrible that it’s difficult to put in words.
The lady who was wearing a doctor’s white coat was rude and did not understand English.
She did not seem to be a professional, as none of her strokes were symmetrical; I went in with sore shoulders and have come back with sore NECK, SHOULDERS and LOWER WAIST.
I was almost on the verge of filing a case against her, I would rather call this massage DANGEROUS or INJURIOUS than bad.
PLEASE do NOT go her; you will just land up hurting your muscles. I forgot to mention he favorite line «MORE PAIN MORE GAIN»
This place is just HORRIFYING and HORRIBLE.

So I called at like 10:30pm on a Friday, expecting to get voicemail so that I can leave a message. Instead, Annie answers the phone! I ask if I can have an early morning appointment the next day, if she’s available. She’s like yes, what time? So I say 9am. I ask if I should come 15 minutes early like her website says, she says sure, 8:45, 8:30, whatever I like! Haha.
So I get there at 8:45 the next morning, Saturday morn. As I’m going up the street to her location, she’s standing outside on the sidewalk ready to let me in. The massage room is down some stairs, in a dimly lit place.
She’s hard to understand, but the instructions are basically to get naked and under the sheets, face down! She’s a nice lady and made me feel comfortable. She asked me where I’m sore, so I pointed to my back and said my legs too! She started at my shoulders, and found knots in my neck, which I really appreciated! I’ve gotten a bunch of massages and I feel like the neck is often a neglected spot. The neck HURT haha but a good pain, and I knew I’d feel great later. She really worked this FULL BODY massage. From the shoulders and neck, she went down my back, did my BUTT — haha which also feels like a neglected spot when it comes to massages, did some hip action, went down the legs, did my FEET — also usually neglected!, then went back up for arms! Then I flipped around, chest side up, and she did more shoulder area massaging and then the head/​scalp. The oil she uses feels/​smells great too!
She really has a knack for finding knots! I’ve gotten massages before and sometimes they just say, oh you’re fine, and they don’t even find the knots. She’s really intense in working out the knots, and she warns you that this will hurt hahaha, just think good thoughts, THIS IS GOOD PAIN THIS IS GOOD PAIN, and you will get through it!
This was the most complete body massage and you really can’t beat the price! $ 45 for 60 minutes, tip well people!

This was the best massage I have ever had. Ever. Annie is a great therapist — I came in with a totally tense body and left feeling completely relaxed.
The rates are insanely low for this quality of massage therapy. I highly recommend Massage For Relax.

So, initially you’ll think you’re walking into a dexter kill room but then you notice that this must be just a part of her home. But she is a nice lady, barely speaks English — so Id say just mention a time you’ll show, and she’ll take care of the rest.
You’ll get setup on her massage table. Which is clean and the face guard is covered in toilet paper. A plus for hygiene.
She is like a bloodhound for knots. I’m not a small person and she easily worked through thick muscle. Her hands must be iron strong. Pretty much the only feedback you’ll get is this part is very hurt or are you cold?
The massage oil is like peppermint so you feel warm and chilly at the same time.
Largely it was an amazing value and all business. Even spent an extra 15 min cause my quads were very tight.

Remember when Brad Pitt put acid on Ed Nortons hand and held it there while he howled in pain? Yeah, if you come here for deep tissue massage you better have your «happy place» figured out beforehand, as you’ll need to be there the whole time.
Deep tissue massage literally requires stuck muscles be broken apart from each other. No pain no gain holds true.
One star off because of the language barrier, ambiance and cell phone going off. This place is all business.

Great deep tissue massage. Annie doesn’t speak English very well, but that doesn’t interfere with the massage at all. I’ve not had any trouble communicating with her and really she can just tell where you need to be worked.
I’ve gone after suffering persistent shoulder pain and numbness in my fingers from sitting at a computer all day. Annie got me back to normal after a 2 hour session.

While this woman was very nice and meant well, I do not think that any actual massage technique was used… she was just pushing and rubbing at random and despite NUMEROUS complaints from me that I was in pain, she continued to do so.
Today I am covered in bruises and in horrible pain.
Also the place is not very clean. I will not be returning.