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San Francisco · Salon directory · Updated July 2026

The best nail salons in San Francisco

A shortlist of the San Francisco 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 San Francisco salons
Where to start in San Francisco — 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.

Pacific Heights

Look At Me

Russian manicures and lash extensions.

2434 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

NOPA

Ritual Nail Bar

organic, plant-based products; manicures, pedicures and facials.

340 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Laurel Heights / Inner Richmond

Spectrum Nails Spa

well-reviewed neighborhood nail spa.

4438 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118

Pacific Heights / Van Ness

Pearly Nails

manicures and pedicures.

2105 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

Inner Sunset

Gentle Nails Salon

builder gel and hard gel specialists.

1414 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122

Outer Richmond

Glitz N Glam Nail & Lash Spa

dip, Gel-X and nail art plus lash services.

5847 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

Cow Hollow

Bamboo Spa

non-toxic and vegan polishes and products.

2286 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Hayes Valley

LUX SF

sustainable and vegan polishes with detailed designs.

490 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dogpatch / Potrero

Modern Nail Bar

neighborhood nail bar.

803 22nd St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Excelsior / Outer Mission

Golden Nails Salon

long-running neighborhood nail salon.

5817 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94112

Black-owned nail salons in San Francisco

We have not yet been able to verify a Black-owned nail salon in San Francisco to our evidence standard — meaning the salon says so itself, or local press or a Black-owned business directory identifies it. The one Black-owned nail salon we found well documented in San Francisco has since closed; there are verified options across the bay in Oakland. Rather than guess from names or neighborhoods, we are leaving this open.

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 are missing your salon, or something here is wrong, tell us and we will 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 San Francisco 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

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

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

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