Kitchen Nail Bar - Sunnyvale

Where do I even begin? I really didn’t want to leave a bad review because I know the staff works hard, but this experience was honestly upsetting. TLDR: My nails were done improperly, my fingers hurt so badly I had to take time off work to go back, and instead of showing concern, the staff repeatedly blamed me and said I “wasn’t used to Gel-X” even though I’ve had Gel-X, acrylics, and builder gel many times before without issues. I originally booked for 5 PM, but 30 minutes beforehand they texted asking me to come at 5:45 because they were behind. Even then, my appointment didn’t start until around 6:20 PM (they close at 7 PM). I asked for builder gel, but the nail tech (Cici) recommended Gel-X instead, saying it would be easier to remove and would be less damaging. I never heard that before but trusted her recommendation. I showed her my reference photo and was quoted $120 for a design with 2 bows on each finger and simple line art. The appointment felt rushed the entire time, probably because the store was closing. Gel got on my skin multiple times, one nail tip was pressed painfully deep into my finger, my cuticles weren’t trimmed, and she only did 1 bow per hand instead of 2 like I’d ask for. I didn’t say anything because it was late and I felt bad that they had already closed. But once I got to my car, I noticed my fingers were in intense pain. It felt like my nails were being pulled upward while sharp pressure was stabbing my nail beds. That night, I couldn’t floss or hold my toothbrush properly without pain. I was trying to tell myself maybe the technique she used was different and that the pain would go away. But the next morning the pain was so bad it woke me up, it also hurt while trying to type on the keyboard so I couldn’t really do work. So I called them and asked to come back in. When I returned, the techs and front-desk person immediately acted defensive. I overheard Cici saying to the front-desk person that my fingers hurt because I “wasn’t used to Gel-X,” which made no sense considering I’ve had these done many times before even in different countries. Another tech then came over, took a look at my nails, and told me my nail beds were “too curved,” so they had to use extra glue, which caused the pain. Apparently my nails were “too curved” for Gel-X or builder gel and I should only get regular gel. What frustrated me most is that none of this was mentioned during my original appointment. If my nails supposedly weren’t suitable for Gel-x and they can only do regular gel, why recommend it in the first place? I asked if I could at least be refunded the price difference since regular gel costs much less, but management declined and said it wasn’t their fault my fingers hurt. Another tech (Lisa) who was removing my original set, then offered to redo the Gel-X with less glue, which directly contradicted the earlier explanation with the other tech that my nails were “too curved” for Gel-X at all. The entire experience felt incredibly dismissive and gaslight-y. Instead of acknowledging my pain, they kept insisting I just wasn’t used to the nails, that it was an “unlucky” situation, and that my natural nail shape was the issue. No apology was ever given. To top it off, the nails have started lifting and the chrome is wearing off within a week, despite me being extremely careful with them. I hate leaving reviews like this, but I genuinely left feeling blamed and uncomfortable with this whole experience. It was a waste of my time and money. I wouldn’t trust all the good reviews here.

Great service, relaxing environment, and refreshed nails! I usually do my own nails, but decided to treat myself and couldn’t be happier. I booked a dip manicure on my natural nails with Vi and she was great! She was knowledgeable, and efficient and I will definitely be booking with her again next time. *make sure to park across the street as spaces are limited directly in front of the salon. Lots of spaces and easy to get to from there.

I made an appointment and clearly communicated that I wanted an overlay done on my nails — both when booking and again during the service. That didn’t happen, but I still paid $115 and left once completed. The next day, I called to explain the issue, and they told me to come in at 11:30 to fix it. When I arrived, I once again explained exactly what I needed, but the technician proceeded to do the same thing as before. After removing the polish, she told me she couldn’t even do overlays. During the service, she was extremely rough — she bruised me during the hand massage, broke one of my nails because she was so aggressive, and the final result had all different lengths. I asked to speak with a manager, but no one was available. I asked to stop the service and get a refund, and they refused. Overall, this was an awful experience — unprofessional, painful, and a complete waste of time and money.

Decided to try this place and was not disappointed. My nail tech was Vi. She did a great job in fixing my nails from a previous place. She left my nails looking crisp and well painted. It also only took about an hour. Im so used to having to wait a while before I even get into a chair. Will be back again!!

I normally only post positive reviews. I hate to do this especially because I LOVED the nail tech herself, she was super warm and welcoming. However…. I have really naturally thick nails and I had a gel polish manicure that was 1/2 grown out and I was just going in to get it taken off and a regular manicure with a clear coat. She filed my nails sooo much vs. just soaking off the gel polish with acetone to the point where my nails are brittle and breaking. I just had this done on Tuesday and I’m on maternity leave doing nothing aside from caring for my baby and 6 of my nails are chipped/cracked and overall integrity in the garbage. Very bummed overall..