I got my nails done right before my vacation and got a light teal color with intricate designs. The design was absolutely gorgeous and should have lasted 3 weeks with Japanese gel. On the 2nd day of my vacation there were dark marks on the bottom of each finger tip and I tried using acetone to remove it. The color on my ring finger also chipped within 4 days. I tried contacting to see if I could get it fixed when I got back From vacation & they don't do repairs past 3 days of your manicure. I even went on their IG to send them photos & got no response. I paid over $100+ tip and loved the design, However I won't be back As they don't Honor any defects if your not back within 3 days. Read Less

This Japanese nail salon is the best in San Diego. They are absolutely meticulous in their work and really take care of your natural nails in the process. They listen to your plethora of ideas and help you find a vision for your nails. If you're in a rush, look elsewhere, they take their time, and it shows in the results. Read Less

Amazing experience!  My first visit was the day before my two weddings.  They did my mani and pedi and did a beautiful job.  I needed something a little sparkly for my Laotian wedding but not too over the top for my Lutheran wedding which was the day after.  My nails looked amazing and easily lasted three weeks and were still in excellent condition when I came back in for a change for the holidays! Read Less

HOLY GRAIL. I came across Sakura a few years ago on Yelp. My schedule is a little last minute so I never planned enough in advance to come here. A few years past and zillion nail shops later I was sick of being in the nail salon every 2 weeks due to my gel not lasting. Back on Yelp again I came across Sakura and made an appointment! SO happy I did. I didn't request anyone but I was fortunate enough to have Yuko,the owner, do my nails. Yuko is amazing! She was patient when I was deciding what I wanted to do with my nails and kept fun comfortable conversation going. At the end I was more than happy with my nails.I've been getting plain color for awhile because I never felt like I could find a tech who could execute the designs I wanted but I'm so happy to have found Sakura and Yuko, you have a client for life! Read Less

I got my nails done today and it was amazing. I'm pretty sure Chihiro was my nail tech and she was super nice / attentive to all the details. I showed her what I wanted and she did a perfect job! Really amazing nails Read Less

I got my nails done here today for my graduation and I am definitely blown away! Appointment booking:I called about a month in advance so I know FOR SURE that I got the day secured the day before my graduation. I called for a pedicure and a full set of acrylics. A few days before the actual appointment day they sent me a text reminder/confirmation. Calling in for an appointment was pretty easy and the lady who answered gave me a ballpark estimate on how much my appointment will be.Nails:My nail tech was Chihiro. She was FANTASTIC! Upon arriving I filled out a form for them which asked about allergies or if I had any nail or skin condition they should know about. I never had to do this in any nail salon but I liked how they're concerned about that! I sat down at one of the pedicure chairs and watched her get her station ready. The salon was VERY clean and organized. You can tell they take their sanitizing of tools very seriously. I showed Chihiro the design that I would like and she immediately got to work. I put that poor lady through 5 hours worth of nail work. However she was very patient and offered me tea, water, or coffee periodically and checked if I was doing okay. She made the executive decisions in picking out colors to best match the picture. However she did have me choose between shades so I felt more involved in the design process. Overall I enjoyed my experience here. Pedicure:When my nail tech asked me if I wanted Gel I thought she was just asking which polish. However the gel pedicure is completely different from their spa pedicure which I originally wanted. (I didn't know this until she was done with the pedicure). My pedicure nail tech filled a bin that had a liner to make it extra sanitary. I just soaked my feet in the water, she then removed the old gel polish from my toes, cleaned my toes, then dumped the water. The 10 minute foot soak was a tad underwhelming. However the nail tech did a fantastic job on the gel application and helping me choose the color that I didn't mind. I will have to try their spa pedicure during my next appointment. Overall:I was very VERY pleased with the results from today. My nails are already such a hit! I can't wait to come back! Note that the prices will be quite expensive. However you get what you pay for! Excellent quality! Read Less

I had an awful experience today at this place. I bit my nails and decided I wanted to try this salon after the amazing reviews I have read here.I went there on saturday a couple weeks ago to make sure what I needed and if they would be able to do since my nails were short.I talked to a lady and she told me she could do what I wanted ( I showed her some pictures of what I wanted, which it was done by them). Short and simple nails. No design. So, I scheduled an appointment for today. I got there today and it was everything going fine. I sat and she started getting her tools to get my nails done. She is the same lady I talked with on saturday  and then she looked at my nails and told me they could not do it because my nails were too short. Told me for me to come back in two weeks. Seriously?Then, she started speaking another language with the other ladies while I was there. I felt like they did not want to attend me and did everything for me to leave. I have several friends that have short nails and they get their nails done in other salons. I got so disappointed and frustrated, I have a trip coming up tomorrow and they have ruined my day. I can't believe they waisted my time! I even got off work earlier for this appointment! Read Less

I have found the holy grail of nails!! I am super picky about nail salons...cleanliness, quality, and products used. Sakura is appointment only so call or email to get in. I usually email and get a response in less than 24 hours. The shoppe is small (tiny white building across from the Mitsuwa shopping center). The salon is clean and the work stations are tidy. I've had shellac done at other salons but just recently switched to Japanese soft gel when I discovered Sakura. All I can say is "wow!!" My skin and cuticles aren't dried with Japanese soft gel, my nails don't lift and they last for 4 weeks!! The cost is definitely on the higher side and they do charge for gel removal and extra if you wanna get extra fancy. Oh and they do get fancy!! Their creativity is just jaw dropping! Please set aside at least 3 hours as they ladies here are meticulous. Their attention to detail and consistency are on point 100% all the time. If you follow them on Instagram, they post monthly specials which could save you a few bucks. I highly recommend Sakura and promise you won't regret it! Read Less

This place is great it's by appointment only but it's definitely worth it! I've been searching for a good place for about a year now and this will be my regular place. I got gel extensions by nail form they do NOT do tips here which I love I changed my mind about what type of designs I wanted to do several times but they were more than accommodating. Check out the monthly specials they're all super cute! Read Less

I've been to Miho at least five times now, and every single time I've had a great experience. Yes, it will take a long time (my first time was one of the monthly special deals and took about 2.5 hours, my second was a custom which took about 3 hours, etc) and yes it can get expensive (monthly specials range from ~65-100, all of their pricing is online and is correct) but I still choose to go here than another nail salon.Why I choose Sakura over any other nail salon:1. The care: I've been to other nail salons that have cut me while cleaning up my cuticles or buffed my already weak nails down very thin. When you have your first appointment at Sakura they have you fill out a form addressing your concerns over your nails, which I think is smart and thoughtful.2. The longevity: When I got a gel manicure at another nail salon, it lasted from 2-3 weeks and started lifting way before then. However, most salons have a a few days or less policy - they'll only offer to touch up or redo your broken/damaged/peeling/lifting/whatever nail within a few days after your manicure. Every single time I've been here Miho has said if something happens to my nails within a week then I can come in and get it fixed. This includes lifting/peeling and even rhinestones coming off. To be completely honest though, I've only had one issue with slight lifting within a few days on my first visit and since then, absolutely no issue at all.3. The creativity!!!! I will generally go in to the Sakura with a basic idea of what I want per instagram or pintrest. Miho is very good at suggesting alternatives and her recommendations are always clear and encouraging, not judgmental at all. I am a big fan of the fact that if I ask her "what do you think of this color?" she can come back to me and say "I don't think it matches with the other ones". I have sooooo many more positive words to say. But I'll end the review here...Tl;dr: I'm sticking to Sakura forever and ever and Miho-san has my heart! ^^ Read Less

AMAZING DETAIL!!!  They are true nail artists!!!  They care about every tiny detail and with extreme precision and patience they always recreate anything I bring them for me and even on even my daughter's little nails.  She asked if she could come here as one of her birthday presents and it was well worth it! Read Less

I went to Sakura after moving here from Philadelphia where I had been going to the same amazing nail artist for years. I was sure to show my first artist at Sakura what I currently had on my nails so she would understand the quality I was used to. At no point was I told she was no capable of decent design work. When I made my appointment I informed them I wanted my current acrylics removed and New put on, they explained the cost, it was not an issue. When I got in she didn't replace my nail, she did a fill while seeing that the current acrylics were visibly lifting. This is where the problems began. 2+ hours for a fill, then another 2.5 hours for gel and very uncomplicated design. Then came the charge of $80. Which is not an issue I was used to paying $90-$160 for QUALITY nails that took an average of 2-2.5 hours. These nails were awful, the design work was sloppy, I had jagged edges from poor filing, the acrylic was bumpy, I left extremely unhappy. THEN after 2 days I noticed chipping, bubbling, lifting of the gel. I called and told them about the issue, I was given a new appointment to get it fixed, AGAIN I mentioned there should have been a new set on and I was told the fixing would only be exactly the same work the girl prior had done. It did take far less time, and the design work was better BUT now less than 5 days later almost every nail is peeling, there's bubbling in the gel it's chipping off. Absolute garbage. Gel nails should NOT do this and the price doesn't justify the work. If you want quality nails in San Diego go elsewhere. Read Less

*woooo whoooo* so happy to be sakura nails 100th review! Sakura nails is an amazing experience and I highly recommend it.Everything was beyond my expectations and truly an experience I've yet had till I received my beautiful gel nails today.The variety of designs and colors leave me speechless because I can't find a word to describe them! I recommend knowing what design and color you'd want prior to your appointment. If I had not known what I wanted prior to appointment I'm pretty sure I would of had ten different designs and colors for each finger! In my 1.5 hour appointment I thought of color and design ideas for my next appointment, to the appointment after that through the holidays and all the way to Valentine's Day! Possibilities may actually be endless!The technique is so detailed and beautiful to watch. It is truly art, like an art show on your nails! As long as I live in San Diego I'll only be going to Sakura nails for my manicures. Read Less

This is by far the best quality nail salon in San Diego. Yes they are pricey...very pricey, but you get what you pay for. I took my daughter here for a birthday gift.  She really wanted Adventure Time nails. We scheduled our appointment. The salon is small and clean. The amount of time it took for the woman (I forget her name) was FOREVER. Like almost 3 hours. Her attention to detail was amazing. She was googling photos of the characters on her phone the whole time to make sure she got it right. My daughter's nails were so cute when they were done. She did a really awesome job. My only complaint is they charge per color. Total cost...not even lying...$117. I feel this is a little too pricey. The good news is they never chipped and they grew out. So at least I didn't pay all of that just to have them chip off in a week. Read Less

I love love love getting my nails done so I've been to a number of different salons. And it is no exaggeration - this was the best experience I've had thus far. I came here to get my nails done for my wedding. Since I'm from NY, I picked this place just from searching online. Having never been there before, I went ahead and make an appointment at Sakura for the most important day of my life. I first contacted them by email. They were so nice and got back to me very quickly. It was so simple to set up the appointment. I've been to a Japanese nail art salon in NYC and it was such a hassle to get an appointment. They even took my friend/officiant at the last minute so we were able to get our nails done together. When I walked in and said my name, they remembered it was for my wedding and wished me congrats - soo sweet :)I got what I thought to be a pretty fancy design. I'm not very original and went with a design I found on their Instagram. My nail tech did such a great job. She paid such close attention to every detail - something I don't often get in NYC salons where it seems like they can't wait to get you out of there. My nails came out sooo beautiful and all my guests were really impressed. I know I picked a design they've done already, but I'm still a little sad I didn't make it to their Instagram page :( Oh and my friend didn't know ahead of time what she wanted. She searched some images on her phone while she was there. Her nail tech (Miyu) literally did a design on the spot off of an image my friend pulled up on her iphone. We were both really impressed. The design was sooo adorable! (Her nails: instagram.com/p/BHm76e3g…).I don't think I can afford to go here as much as I would like but I'll definitely come back. I highly recommend this salon! Read Less

Came in expecting the best, came out with the best of the best. Be prepared to spend a few hours in here if perfection is what you want. Miho was my nail designer and I only have amazing things to say about her. She was compliment with what I wanted. Ever since I emailed them and sent them the pictures I wanted, they were able to give me an estimated amount. She sat with me through 4 whole hours of pure detail. I'll for sure be coming back soon. It's pricey, but it is worth every penny! Thank you so much for the amazing service! Read Less

I would have loved to give this place five stars but after several sets of nails done with them three stars is already stretching it.The staff are caring and funny, however it is the quality of their work and the amount of time it takes that is concerning. I have had my nails done in Japan in Taiwan in Korean and at many different establishments and never have I had such a low quality of nails in comparison to the price you have to pay.I have had to go back several times after appointments to get a nail fixed sometimes a day or even two after I initially for my nails done. In general their gems fall off within a week or so and the color of the gold plates tarnish really fast as well as their pearl gems. Yes they are capable of lots of designs but what is the cost . My nails range from 75 dollars to 125 dollars without tip. I would be ok with this is the nails lasted .I will be posting pictures of my nails where there are air bubbles and the gell peels or cracks off. On average my nails last about 2-3 weeks only . Read Less

I'm super happy with my experience and my nails!I emailed them yesterday (Saturday) and asked for the next available time to get gel nails. They replied really promptly and scheduled me for the next day at 4:00 PM.The salon is a cute little white building with a 3-car parking lot right in front of it. The lot was empty, so I could've parked there, but I didn't know they had one. I ended up parking across the street at Mitsuwa. The street is really narrow and not busy at all, so it was an easy and fast walk.I arrived right on time and was greeted by Kaori, who had my email and pictures pulled up right on her phone. She was the cutest and sweetest person I've ever met! I've never gotten gel nails before and she was really patient with me and gave me a lot of advice about the shape, length and color I wanted.I absolutely adore how my nails turned out (see pictures). It took about two hours and twenty minutes, but the time really flew by. I can't wait to go back! Read Less

Best nail place ever.I came here on Thanksgiving weekend to get a gel manicure. My best friend booked the appointment for the two of us and they accommodated our schedules perfectly. They even called me (even if I was not the one who booked the appointment) to remind me of my appointment and asked if there was a more convenient time for me.We were there for about 2 hours, which is a little bit longer than what it normally takes for my nail to get did, but it was OK because we had the comfiest chairs ever. They really took their time to ensure that my actual nails were filed, heathy and completely clean of the gel from the previous place I went. To be honest, I could have walked out of that place before they even put the manicure because of how pretty they made my natural nails look. I took designs from 3 different pictures on Insta and they were able to combine them all and apply the exact design I wanted. I feel bad for not remembering my nail technicians name but I could see that every person in that place does the same quality work and has the same amazing customer service.It is now February 10 and my nails are still perfect...or would still be perfect if only my stupid nails didn't grow! As someone who hates getting my nails done so many times in a year, this has been the longest lasting manicure I've ever had and it's perfect for my schedule.Anyway, they give a 10% discount to new customers but charge an additional $15 to remove gel from another business. But that's such a small price to pay for perfection. Read Less

Very detailed and meticulous in their work. Loved how my wedding nails turned out- customizable and they will try to create your vision along with practical suggestions. I made my appointment two months in advanced just to ensure it would be guaranteed. They only take 3-4 appointments per artist per day. It's been almost a month since and they're still in tact (despite nail growth). Also FYI be prepared to sit still for a while. My nails took 3 hours. Read Less

These ladies are the best! True nail artists! I've been going to Yuko for a few years now. There is no way I'll go anywhere else for a gel manicure. They always last 3-4 weeks, which is great for my hectic lifestyle. In addition to their quality work, these gals are so personable and considerate. Love love love my nails every time! Read Less

The best nail salon in San Diego, hands down. Super professional, the attention to detail is very impressive, the quality of their imported products and their artistry is worth every penny. Yuko the owner is spectacular. Read Less