Portland, Maine · Salon directory · Updated July 2026

The best nail salons in Portland, Maine

A shortlist of the Portland, Maine salons that come up again and again in public reviews and local coverage — what each is known for, and where it sits on the map.

Nail work representative of Portland, Maine salons — Where to start in Portland, Maine — then use the checks below to pick.

The researched shortlist

How this list was built — and its limits. These salons were compiled in July 2026 from public reviews, booking-platform listings and local coverage. We have not personally visited every one, and salons change hands, techs move, and menus change — so treat this as a researched starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current hours and prices before booking, and run the five-minute sanitation check when you arrive. Nobody paid to be on this list; the only paid position on this site is one clearly labeled featured placement per city.

East Bayside / Washington Ave

Apsara Nails

a competitively priced shop praised for detailed nail art and friendly technicians.

500 Washington Ave, Portland, ME 04103

Downtown / Old Port

H&E Paint Bar

a modern downtown nail bar focused on quality gel work and a curated color menu.

6 City Center, Portland, ME 04101

Forest Avenue

Oasis Nails and Spa

a long-running Forest Ave salon offering full manicure, pedicure and enhancement services.

415 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04101

Libbytown / Congress St

Eddie's Nails

a neighborhood nail-tech shop known for reliable, well-priced manicures and pedicures.

1283 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102

Arts District / Congress St

L A Nails

a centrally located Arts District salon convenient for downtown manicures and pedicures.

494 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Congress Street

Princess Nail Salon

a full-service Congress Street salon with easy free parking behind the building.

647B Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Woodfords / Forest Ave

Portland Nails

a straightforward Forest Ave shop for everyday gel manicures and pedicures.

710 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103

South Portland (Maine Mall)

Get Nailed Beauty Lounge

widely regarded as one of southern Maine's best, with technicians often booked solid.

118 Maine Mall Rd, South Portland, ME 04106

Black-owned nail salons in Portland, Maine

We haven't yet verified a Black-owned nail salon in Portland, Maine to our standard — an explicit statement from the salon, local press, or a Black-owned business directory. If you know one we should list, tell us and we'll add it.

How we verify this. A salon appears here only when a credible source explicitly identifies it as Black-owned — the business's own website or social account, local press, or an established Black-owned business directory. We never infer ownership from an owner's name, a salon's name, a neighborhood or a clientele. If we're missing your salon, or something here is wrong, tell us and we'll fix it: thenailguideco@gmail.com.

How to choose between them

A list gets you candidates, not a decision. The fastest way to narrow it: pick the service first, because the best custom-art studio and the best fast-gel shop are rarely the same business. Then check the salon's own photos for consistency across all ten nails, and ask how they remove a set — the full method is in our guide to finding a salon.

What you should expect to pay

Before you book, know the going rate so an upcharge doesn't surprise you at the register. Our Portland, Maine price guide lists 2026 ranges for gel manicures, Russian manicures, extensions, pedicures and art — plus what moves the price across the metro.

Where these salons sit on the map

Portland, Maine isn't one nail market, and neighborhood usually predicts both specialty and price. The Portland, Maine neighborhood guide breaks the city into pockets with $–$$$ signals, and the city overview ties it together.

Know a Portland, Maine salon that belongs here? Nominations genuinely shape our review queue — thenailguideco@gmail.com. Salon owners welcome.

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