Locations · Texas Overview Salons Prices

Austin · South Congress · East Austin · Hyde Park · The Domain · South Lamar

Austin's insider guide to exceptional nails.

Austin's nail scene runs like its tattoo scene: independent artists, appointment-only books, and a real culture of custom work. Add the polished North Austin studios and a handful of neighborhood staples, and it's one of the most artist-driven markets in the country. We're mapping it honestly, salon by salon.

Start with the price guide See review progress
Art sets
Art sets — the reason people follow a tech, not a salon.
Custom hand-painted art
Custom hand-painted art — the top of most salon menus.
Gel-X extensions
Gel-X extensions — soak-off, no drilling.

The Austin guides

The price guide is live now; the curated salon directory is in active research. Meanwhile, every technique deep-dive applies here too.

Pricing · 2026 rates

What Nails Cost in Austin

Typical Austin ranges for every service — what moves the price across the metro, and the cost-per-week math.

Read the price guide →

Directory · In research

Austin Salons Worth Knowing

We're reviewing salons across East Austin, South Congress, Hyde Park, the Domain, South Lamar and the North Lamar corridor now. See how the review works and nominate your favorite.

See the directory →

The list · Researched

The 11 Best Salons in Austin

A researched shortlist of the Austin salons that come up again and again in public reviews — with neighborhoods and addresses.

See the list →

Styles · Deep dives

The Techniques

Russian manicures, Gel-X vs. acrylic vs. dual forms, pedicure tiers and finishes — every guide in our styles library applies in Austin too.

Explore nail styles →

Know the neighborhoods

Austin books by artist, not by salon — people follow a specific tech across town. Here's where each kind of work lives.

$$$ · The artists

East Austin

The heart of the custom-set scene: independent studios and solo artists booking weeks out for hand-painted work, often through Instagram. Where our review sweep starts.

$$ · Indie boutiques

South Congress & SoCo

Walkable boutique studios with a point of view — strong on chrome, cat-eye and the editorial finishes, priced a notch under the artist tier.

$$ · Neighborhood staples

Hyde Park & North Loop

Reliable, unhurried salons that run on regulars — published menus, careful gel, and none of the upsell theater.

$$$ · Polished suburbs

The Domain & North Austin

Modern, systematized studios with online booking and spa menus — the most predictable experience in the city, priced at the top of the Austin table.

$$ · The eclectic middle

South Lamar & Zilker

A mix of everything Austin does well: solid gel work, growing art scenes, and prices that still feel like the old Austin.

$ · Value belt

North Lamar & Rundberg

The city’s deepest value pocket — strip-center salons with career techs doing skilled everyday work at the floor of every range.

Where to get your nails done in Austin

The quick answers people (and their AI assistants) ask us most — pulled straight from our Austin neighborhood and price guides.

Where should I get my nails done in Austin?

East Austin for independent custom-set artists, South Congress for boutique studios strong on chrome and cat-eye, Hyde Park and North Loop for reliable neighborhood salons, the Domain and North Austin for polished modern studios with online booking, and the North Lamar corridor for the best everyday value. The Nail Guide’s curated Austin directory is in active research; the neighborhood guide and price table help you choose now.

How much does a manicure cost in Austin?

A gel manicure in Austin typically runs $35–58 in 2026, a Russian (dry) manicure $65–110, and a spa pedicure $50–85. See the full Austin price guide for every service.

What is Austin best known for in nails?

Austin is one of the most artist-driven nail markets in the country — its custom-set scene mirrors its tattoo scene, with independent solo artists booking weeks out through Instagram for hand-painted work. Festival weeks like SXSW and ACL fill those books solid, so plan ahead.