City Nail Spa

I got a Shellac Manicure done here recently and and far from impressed. £25 for someone to not even push back my cuticles or trim them, nor did I get a hand massage at the end. Just a glob of lotion on my hand and was asked to then get up and go pay. I’ve been to many places before and get MUCH more for the price. Would not return.

The very worst manicure I’ve had in a decade!!! The girl a) forgot to push back and trim my cuticles b) didn’t let my polish cute long enough and then c) half heartedly pushed back my cuticles AFTER DOING MY POLISH because she knew it would mark it because she didn’t cure it long enough and also were too cheap to spray it with alcohol so reused ONE alcohol wipe on both my hands. If she didn’t grind my nails down so thin, I’d just walk to another nail salon right now

Nail salons are always so hard to judge: what looks like a terrifying death trap can give you the best manicure ever, and what looks like pure luxury can be the sloppiest.
City Nails looks like your standard nail salon, it’s clean, there’s a mind boggling array of polish shades, and a to in the corner playing terrible pop. I got a full set of acrylics and a pedicure done and am super pleased with the result. My pedicure was quick but thorough and my tips are the perfect length as well as being beautifully thin. They were fast and didn’t over file my nails down before the tips, so I have nothing bad to say!
If you’re local for a good no frills nail place, this is totally it.

Another pleasant experience here! I called and grabbed an appointment last minute today for a manicure and I’m glad I did. Although I did have to wait, the staff were friendly and attended to me as soon as a spot opened up. The service was quick but efficient and I can really tell the difference that manicure made in terms of shaping, cuticles, etc. When cutting the cuticles, they did cut almost a little too much and my skin was a bit sensitive right after, but this also means that when the paint wears off, I’ll just need a polish change next week, so it wasn’t so bad. The facilities are clean and quite big. Lastly, they unfortunately only take cash, so remember to hit an ATM before going in. Nevertheless, I definitely plan on coming back here!

As far as first-​world, girly-​girl problems go, there are few things more bothersome than breaking a nail to the quick in a completely unfamiliar city. I ducked in to the first nail place I saw, and was lucky enough to find Jane — a consummate nail professional who’s been practicing her craft for 17 years, if memory serves. She was quick, friendly and extremely skilled — and the rates were very affordable, even by cheapie NYC standards. A lucky find — I’ll be sure to stop in next time I’m in Shoreditch!

This is my go-​to place for pedicure. If you also want fast service and long lasting pedi at a reasonable price, this is your spot. The quality of the mani/​pedi depends a lot on whom you get to serve you. Surprisingly, I have found the guys here do a better job than most of the girls. However, they all do good enough of a job.
The spa itself is not a place you want to linger, but rather get your services and go. That said, it is quite clean and simple. They are quite accommodating and walk-​ins usually don’t have to wait for too long to get services.

I’ve been coming here for my mani/​pedi needs for over a year and have never had a bad experience… and this coming from a fairly discerning (OK, demanding) manicure consumer. There’s no plain ol’ red or French for me. Check out my photos to see their handiwork.
£25 for Shellac mani (including removal), £3 more (a steal) for color tips or other fanciness.
City Nail is a great find. My only gripe would be that they are cash only and not open on Sundays but that seems to be par for the course in this biznizz.

Amazing gel manicure by Tracy. She was so lovely and made sure to get each nail just right! I’m from New York and I will be back here every time I’m in London! If you are looking for a great experience with good service and fair prices this should be your go to place!

I went here for a pedicure and they took me no problem. Great color choices and massage chair. The place was busy, but there were plenty of workers to take care of everyone. The lady who did my pedicure did a fine job, but I wish she took her time. The massage was not great.
Overall it was a good experience and for the price (£22) I was happy!

Mina and her gang are amazing. Always leave happy and nails looking perfect. I’m picky!
Run by a family, great customer service too.

Great find! I live in Los Angeles and have gel nails — I am traveling to London for several weeks and my nails were a wreck — they take walk-​ins, I didn’t have to wait and my nails look even better than my girl in LA and trust me, I am picky! It was £30 (cash only) for a manicure and gel polish. I’m surprised this place wasn’t crowded, but it was a Wednesday afternoon. Two perfectly manicured thumbs up!

The only reason I haven’t given them 5 stars is that they don’t actually do full shellac manicures. Shellac is different from other hard gel nail manicures and the top doesn’t need to be filed off before removing if you only use Shellac polish. City Nail Spa does have the shellac colors but they use a different kind of top and base coat so my nails still needed to be filed off and this makes my nails flimsy and weaker than they would be with just shellac.
However, this aside, the place is wonderful! I’ve gone twice and both times the nail technicians were nice and didn’t feel the need to fill the time with talking. They were okay with silence, but when we did talk it was friendly. There’s nothing worse than when you’re trying to enjoy your manicure and relax but you feel you have to socialise and carry on a forced polite conversation. I only ever find that in hair salons and nail salons.
The variety of colors for gel nails is even more than what I saw in normal polish, which was a first for me. I’m a little OCD about the shape of my nails, especially the corners, because if it’s not done juuuuuust so, I pick and pick and get crazy. I used to bite my nails until they bled so now I do shellac manicures and my nails are gorgeous! Both women at City Nail Spa were really nice about my insanity and constant requests to file down an edge so it was the perfect ’rounded square’ shape.
Both times I left the salon and my nails looked fantastic! This is really a good find and only a few minutes walk from Old Street Station. Definitely check it out! Keep in mind that is cash only though!

I worked as a professional chef for 7 years. Now that I’ve changed career paths, I have the luxury of being able to have my nails painted every day for the rest of my life. So it should come as no surprise that a good manicure is a very special treat.
I just arrived in London 3 weeks ago and literally got off the plane looking for a place to get a good shellac manicure. I live right down the road from City Nail Spa, so I thought, heck, I’d try it out.
The spa is super clean, tidy, and inviting. The staff are all lovely and I walked in on a busy Saturday and only had to wait about 5 minutes before my manicure started. The color selection of shellac polish is outstanding and I was allowed to choose a multi-​color option (because I’m fly like that) at no extra charge. The conversation was great, the complimentary tea was tasty, and I left with two hands of beautiful, sparkling claws.
Now here’s the important stuff: its not expensive (£25 for a shellac mani), you can make appointments but walk-​ins are welcome, and my manicure lasted for THREE WEEKS without chipping.
Ladies, get your boots on, get in there, and get yo nails DID. You can thank me later.

My my my. I almost don’t want to spill the polished and primped beans about this place… and keep it all to my gloriously indulgent self, but I will. For the ladies (and gents) of Unilocal,I will.
For…we all need a bit of nail grooming once in awhile, and when we choose to do so… it would preferably be in a clean, friendly environment. With pretty colors. And aggressive slayers of dry skin. And amazing massage chairs. And trashy mags.
And not cost a motherf&^‘in fortune.
So, I shall introduce: City Nail Spa. My new jam-​a-​rama when I need my nails done in Shoreditch. I actually do not know if I can adequately articulate how happy I was to stumble upon this place so near my home that has all of the above qualities PLUS will not cost you the arms and legs you’ve so dutifully made pretty.
Shellac manicure: 25 quid. (yes, you read that right). I’ve paid that much in London (AND MORE) for a regular polish manicure. And my nails look FRESH as hell.
Spa pedicure: 22 quid. YES again… you’re reading correctly. And my feet are smooth, and polished PERFECTLY. You can even do shellac on your feet if you wish! (I usually don’t as they seem to last quite long as it is — but personal preference).
There are 3 pedicure stations and about 5 manicure stations — so not suitable for huge groups. They do take appointments (and keep their promise!). Recently opened (a few months) but already ticking along quite nicely. The owners are Vietnamese and have been in London since 1987. Also offer Biosculpture gel nails (a bit more pricey than the shellac) with many color options. Bring cash.
*Cash only.
*Loyalty card will score you 30 percent off your 6^th visit.
*Having nice nails makes life a lot better. Life’s too short for hangnails.