Teashi

I was really impressed with this place.
Went in feeling really stressed and overwhelmed hoping for a relaxing spa-​like experience, and that’s exactly what I got. However, please note that I also dropped in on a weekday afternoon, which meant for the majority of my mani-​pedi, I was the only one there. Complete silence, the ladies were able to take their time on my hands and feet, etc.
I just did the basic pedi and got a «Shellac’ mani, which is comparable to gel. Both gals did a GREAT job and really took the time to clean my cuticles, give me a really intense foot scrub, generous massage, and a really nice paint job.
While this place is pricey and I (sadly) can’t become a regular, I didn’t feel jipped paying at the end because I really got a spa experience. I left feeling WORLDS more relaxed, my nails look great, and this place was well-​worth it!

The inside décor is really girly and perfect for a girly party. I had the fijian honey pedi and mani and it was luxurious when applied, but I don’t think it really made my hands or feet softer afterwards once I washed off the oil. What I found kind of strange was that one of the girls was sick and not feeling well and she was crying and complaining in the back room, which we all overheard. Kind of a weird vibe going there. Overall, I’m not sure if it is worth the higher price.

Update! The owner reached out to me personally to apologize for the environment and service and encouraged me to give this place another shot. Well I did this weekend and I was pleasantly surprised. Without the chatty lady the place was very calm and relaxing. I had a manicure and pedicure which were both very nice. They didn’t try to up sell me or pressure me to spend more money which was nice. My skin felt very refreshed and my nails looked wonderful afterwards. When I was ready to leave the woman who painted my nails helped me up and out. Bonus: they are next door to the loving cup so you can pop over and get some fro yo afterwards!
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This place is A-​OK!
The venue is gorgeous and clean which is relaxing. I came in for a pedicure on Saturday and it wasn’t too busy. They offered me water or tea which was quiet nice and they had some great trashy magazines for entertainment.
However there was a woman sitting next to me who was talking the WHOLE time very very loudly. The other women in the salon were equally annoyed but they never told her to pipe down. It made it very hard to read and relax. The foot massage wasn’t very good or very long but the polish was nice.
However once she finished she just left me at my seat! No helping me put on my sandals or telling me my total. I had to track down a manger for help!
Oh and a very simple 35 min pedicure cost $ 32. So overpriced.

I had the deluxe pedicure here on a Sunday. Tram was quiet and so gentle I fell asleep, but too gentle for any serious callous removal, which is what I came for. Her file lacked teeth — either it was worn out or the callous softening serum made it too slippery to get a grip on my skin.
Relaxing ambience. Light and airy interior with baroque upholstery. Seems sanitary, with autoclaved instruments in sealed packets and a separate in-​ground sink for each client. The grout on the tiles could use some mildew remover though and the cushions ought to be dry-​cleaned. This place is definitely showing some wear and tear, so don’t look too closely.
All the manicurists/​pedicurists are asian females. They talk in their own language so you won’t have to hear all their snide comments about you.
Tips accepted in cash only.

Not really a huge fan of getting a wax. Aside from the pain, I usually feel silly laying there, but Patty really puts me at ease. She is super nice and always has a smile on her face. A little on the pricey side, but I’m happy with the service and they’re only 2 blocks away from my place! So it’s all good!
I used to go there for a mani and pedi too, but stopped since I noticed that my nail polish would chip after about a day or two. This was a couple years ago, so that might not be the case anymore.

Hands down the best place I’ve been for a wax. Waxing, nonetheless, is never a pleasurable activity, but if you gotta/​wanna do it, Teashi is where it’s at. Quick, as painless as possible, clean, a little pricey (but still reasonable and definitely worth it). Loryn, the owner, very friendly and very talented at waxing, but the other employees are also very talented and I’d wouldn’t complain about any of them.
I’ve never gotten anything but a wax here, but can definitely tell you that I’ve had my fair share of them around the world and Teashi is my go to.
ps. if you’re a first timer, don’t forget to prime with ibuprofen and maybe even a little numbing gel/​lotion

Another 5 star review! So I’m always super happy when I leave Teashi, but tonight’s facial with Nicole was spectacular!
I’ve just gotten in from Paris (business with not a lot of pleasure), where I had 20 degree weather, was sick, exhausted, and now jetlagged.
I went to Nicole for a facial and microderm. For one — I highly recommend a microderm after winter skin and/​or polluted cities. The Paris soot was written all over my face.
Nicole gave me a good recommendation on what type of facial I needed, and then began the most nurturing and relaxing facial with plenty of neck massage in the process! By the end I could have cried from joy. What a well needed treat — both for my skin and for my psyche.
My skin is rosy and glowing, and I’m giddy. My skin looks like I’m 22 again, with the warm summer glow of sipping bubbles in the sunshine!!! (with sunscreen of course :))
Side note — they are having great specials for V’Day coming up, as well as product sales. Got some good stuff last month (January 2011) during the 20% off sale, and am very pleased with my purchase.
Another excellent review for Loryn from 2 weeks ago — I ate a ton of gluten and dairy over the holidays and therefore broke out in a horrible back acne. Combo’d with dry itchy skin, not a pretty site. Went to see Loryn for the back treatment — it’s clear, soft and beautiful again! Pampered, massaged, happy skin. Thank you thank you!

Absolutely adorable décor! Complimentary tea is on the coffee table as you walk in. The girls at the front desk are usually students and are super nice. Prices are pretty up there, but based on the location it’s probably decent? I mean there are houses that cost millions of dollars, so they aren’t complaining… Anyway, this place is clean and cute, but not quick. The little asian ladies aren’t very talkative either. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time in between, especially if you have to pay for a meter. Check out the rest of the block if you have to wait. There are lots of mom and pop shops!
Note: They’ve changed owners a couple years back. Loryn (who does most of the waxing) bought out the place, so just check out the more recent reviews. :)

I arrived for my appointment at 2:30 pm on the dot, and was immediately greeted by the front desk and moments later by my masseuse, Kat.
I appreciated how Kat asked if I had any areas I wanted to focus on, and then actually focused on those areas. My 30 minute massage with Kat was amazing. She provides a good, consistent strong pressure for a deep tissue massage. Her hands and arms were warm, soft, and smooth. A big plus for me was the fact that she has some meat on her bones, so when she used her arms and elbows to apply pressure, I didn’t feel like someone was jabbing me with a skeleton bone :)
When you are making reservations, you can request a specific person, I’d pick Kat again, any day. Also, their online reservations system is super efficient. I wish more places adopted such a system!

I received a gift card for Teashi a while back and finally decided to use it recently. It was a Saturday afternoon and the friendly gal at the front counter was nice enough to squeeze me in between appointments for a mani/​pedi.
It’s been a little over 2 weeks and my mani/​pedi is still looking great. Your experience really depends on who you get. The woman who did my mani was really sweet and the woman who did my pedi had no face expression whatsoever. She didnt even bother greeting me when she came– I didnt really get a friendly vibe from her. Perhaps it was a bad day? Meh.

My boyfriend bought me a massage from
, and I decided to use it as my «end of the school year/​hello summer!» gift to myself.
I got there about 10 minutes early. The receptionist was nice, she offered some water, and I accepted. But the water tasted like it was sprayed with perfume. I like fragrance, but not in my water… my massage person came late about 10 – 15 minutes.
Whitney was great. I had the Swedish massage! Her selection of music was great, and I ALMOST feel asleep a couple of times.
Why?
When I almost nodded off, I could hear cars honking, people clipping toe nails, people talking, kids running around. The room next door kept on opening and closing which made it sound like someone was knocking on the door. It was very distracting.
I tried my best to tune out the noises, but it kept on coming back. I debated maybe getting a massage every now and then from here, but until they get soundproof doors and windows, I’m not coming back.

I still have not found a nail salon within a 10 block radius that does anywhere NEAR the impeccable work of the ladies at Teashi. Heung (sp?) took her time, was attentive while also letting me zone out as necessary, and never made me feel like I was her last appointment of the day, even though I was. The massage was thorough and she really went to town on my callouses (dance is great on the body and hell on the feet). I’ve tried other places on Polk and I just keep coming back to Teashi. I even booked my next appointment well in advance, which I’ve never done with any nail service.
P. S. Their «citrus tea» (that I swear is really candied meyer lemons in hot water) is divine. I’d pay for the stuff, let alone drink two cups for free while enjoying the foot pampering.

Bought groupon offer for the 60 minute swedish massage. It was yet another success by knowing this salon through groupon. I loved the massage service by Whitney. Located between Green St and Polk, finding parking space is very challenging.
Loved their ambiance with the natural light setting in, smells great, friendly staff. Whitney’s massage was blissful. Will definitely use their services again. Its worth it =)

If Teashi were a pet salon, I would fully expect to walk out of there with a big pink bow on my head. It is every girlie girl’s dream salon… smells like cupcakes, the waiting area makes you feel pretty, interesting tea to sip, aesthetically attractive salon fixtures, and every random skin product as far as the eye can see! Am I in the movie Legally Blond? Either way I am in love with the feel of the place. The services… not so much.
So this is for the sports massage with Christina C.
That was not a sports massage, that was a rub down. There was not one single moment when she worked on a pressure point. Frankly, I could have given that massage with no training whatsoever. Felt relaxing though and the room and music was awesome. I hope I like Teashi better next time.

One of my friend gave me a one hour Swedish massage for this place for my birthday which was back in December 2009. I finally went last Saturday and it took me awhile to look for parking since it was on a weekend.
I really liked the décor and the people there were friendly. My masseuse was Whitney and she did a really great job with the pressure points and releasing all the tensions in my muscles. I will definitely be going back to this place.

Was in town for the weekend and decided to stop by Teashi for a massage. Not being very familiar with the Polk Street area, we literally spent FORTY minutes circling (far and wide) trying to find parking. We even resorted to asking bystanders if there was a valet service nearby. Which apparently was a no-​go, as there was nothing. No valet. No parking lots. I guess I’m just too used to Los Angeles. Anyway, about forty minutes of circling later, we fiiiinally found half a parking spot like four blocks away and quickly trudged our way up the hills to Teashi.
While the general atmosphere in Teashi was quite charming, pretty and relaxing, the massage unfortunately was not as pleasant. Well, truly, it was fine, really, but not great. I didn’t feel like the masseuse had a lot of massage knowledge… it just seemed like a very regular massage.
Well, now I know. Teashi is not really the place to go for massages. Their whole downstairs seemed dedicated to manis/​pedis, so perhaps that would be more appropriate.
And really, the parking situation (on a cold Sunday afternoon) was SO not fun.

We booked Teashi to do simultaneous mani-​pedis before my rehearsal dinner. I chose Teashi because of the cuteness of the décor, something I don’t recommend doing in the future. When booking, I made it 100% clear that all 4 of us needed to have our mani-​pedis done simultaneously so that we could be out of there by a hard deadline in time for the dinner. They assured us that 3 of us would get simultaneous treatments, while the last person would finish 15 minutes later.

When we showed up on the actual day, of course they did not have enough staff on hand to deliver as promised. Instead, only one of us (not me) received a simultaneous mani-​pedi. They completely ignored us when we repeatedly reminded them of our need to get out of there sooner and the fact that we’d booked simultaneous mani-​pedis. Instead of the 45 minutes we expected, it ended up taking an hour and a half, seriously delaying our timeline. Had I known this would be the case, I would have booked our treatments at a larger salon that could accommodate our party as promised.

I want to love this place, but I only like it. Sort of. High ceilings, lots of natural light, relaxing music, pleasant smell. It’s quite lovely and that’s what you’re paying for.
I dont know about other people, but that’s not what I go to a nail salon for. I go to get a mani/​pedi that’s thorough, clean, and relaxing. You do get this, but I expected more for the high price. I can get the a better quality manicure (plus pedicure) around the corner for $ 23.
Plus I waited a half hour after my appointment time. Not a huge deal since I know things get held up as the day goes on, but maybe a little extra massage for waiting? Nope. My «massage» wasnt more than 15 seconds on each arm. That’s supposed to be the best part! And as other reviewers mentioned, they are not subtle about the tip envelope. «here, you’re done now pay me»
The girl at the reception desk was a doll though.

Normally I hit Teashi for only manicures and pedicures, which are the best in the city next to Silk. Sometime ago I had a wax and it was not a great experience. Painful and missed spots. Out of sheer necessity, I went back and it was was worse than I remembered. Sweet woman but not only did it hurt, she missed spots again. They don’t use the hard wax because «customers say it takes too long». Well at least give people an option since it doesn’t hurt nearly as much.
Stick to the mani/​pedi

Yes there are several salons on Polk Street and I would have to say that Teashi has become one of my favorites.
I love the décor of the salon. It is spacious, cute, and by golly I love the natural light that pours in. The music is always something to bob your head to and everyone there is so polite and friendly.
I’ve gotten a few services there (mani/​pedi, brows, lip) and they have all been great. This is definitely a place to come to have some «me time» or to come and gab with girlfriends :]