San Francisco · Directory · In research

The San Francisco directory is being built the slow way

We don't launch a city directory with a scraped list. Every salon we feature gets the full review: hundreds of public reviews read, menus verified, specialties confirmed. San Francisco is in that process right now.

Looking for names right now? Our researched shortlist — the 10 best nail salons in San Francisco — is live, compiled from public reviews and local coverage while the full editorial directory below is being built.

How a salon earns a listing

The public record first. We read Google, Yelp and booking-platform reviews in bulk, looking for consistent patterns — not single raves or rants.
Specialty, verified. "Best for" claims come from what reviewers actually praise repeatedly, not what the salon's sign says.
Sanitation signals. Sealed tools, lined pedicure bowls, and removal-by-soaking — the checks from our nail care guide.
Free, always. Listings can't be bought. The only paid position is each city's single labeled featured placement.

Where we're looking

The first San Francisco review sweep covers Hayes Valley, the Mission, Union Square, the Marina, the Sunset and the Richmond — with special attention to the solo studios and appointment-only artists that never show up on the ad-driven lists.

Know a salon that belongs here? Nominations genuinely shape the review queue: thenailguideco@gmail.com. Salon owners welcome — tell us what you're best at and we'll put you in the sweep.

While the directory bakes, the San Francisco price guide is live — and every style deep-dive and at-home guide on this site applies in San Francisco too.