Naomi is the best! I’ve been getting my nails done here for years and this place is by far the best place for gel manicures in midtown. They have all the newest colors and trends (I love the different holos they’ve done for me) and they’re clean and quick. I’d give more than 5 stars if I could! Read Less

Friendly service, quality job, fresh and upscale atmosphere. It's worthy of five stars if it's important for you to have a more glam experience, but I'm no diva or princess, and in fact am quite happy with a budget no frills mani pedi experience provided the service is friendly and the job is done right. So for me, this was a bit over priced, but that is definitely my own metric for cost to satisfaction value. If you want fancy vs hole in the wall, this is a great option. They also had a couple of dedicated areas for groups, and there were definitely some girlfriend groups having a very good time together! Read Less

I would not come back for several reasons: - Inconsistent I started off with acrylic nails. I called a day ahead asking if they have any service in that area, the lady on the phone stated no. So I come in the next day for pedicure and asked my question again in person and they stated that they have one technician that would be able to help me take it off. - Hurt & Lack proper tool Filing down my acrylic nails in a rush cause me a slight amount of pain. When taking off my extension, I thought there would be a specific tool to remove them, but the technician pulled out a MTA Metro card. When I finished, my nails were filled with the residue. -lack of communication This is half my fault. I didn't not translate my idea properly however there wasn't an connection in her understanding what I wanted. -Disclosure of the price I paid $78.37, I understand it includes (my assumption) gel nails (but what type of gel), nail design, and remove of acrylic. Pro: - the decor is comfy and instagramable. Very chic and cute - their hand mask. Definitely helped my hands. But it would been better if they didn't cut off the finger part of the mask. Maybe cut off the nail part of the mask. -bathroom was super clean. Would I come back? No. This is the first time attending a high end nail salon but I think I'll go back in visiting my local $22 dollars gel. Also while there, constantly felt like I was judge by those doing my nails. Like not a problem but you can talk about us after we leave. Not there in another language. Read Less

I would not come back for several reasons: - Inconsistent I started off with acrylic nails. I called a day ahead asking if they have any service in that area, the lady on the phone stated no. So I come in the next day for pedicure and asked my question again in person and they stated that they have one technician that would be able to help me take it off. - Hurt & Lack proper tool Filing down my acrylic nails in a rush cause me a slight amount of pain. When taking off my extension, I thought there would be a specific tool to remove them, but the technician pulled out a MTA Metro card.When I finished, my nails were filled with the residue. -lack of communicationThis is half my fault. I didn't not tea slate my idea properly however there wasn't an connection in her understanding what I wanted. -Disclosure of the priceI paid $78.37, I understand it includes (my assumption) gel nails (but what type of gel), nail design, and remove of acrylic. Pro: - the decor is comfy and instagramable. Very chic and cute - their hand mask. Definitely helped my hands. But it would been better if they didn't cut off the finger part of the mask. Maybe cut off the nail part of the mask. -bathroom was super clean. Would I come back? No. This is the first time attending a high end nail salon but I think I'll go back in visiting my local $22 dollars gel. Also while there, constantly felt like I was judge by those doing my nails. Like not a problem but you can talk about us after we leave. Not there in another language. Read Less

Really nice place. The interior design is nice and their service is really nice. However I would say their prices are on the pricier side, but this is the city and everything is more overpriced here. Manicure is $15 but since I as gel, there was a $5 removal fee so my total was $20.99 This was a nice first time experience for me, nice experience and great interior design. Read Less

I literally was done with nail salons and was going to check out house call services when I found The Gel Bar. Living on 29th street made it super convenient and they of course specialize in Gel so, no more harmful acrylic or powder. The staff was super friendly and professional. I got the pleasure of having Gina and will definitely request her next time. Just FYI, they do dry pedicures but it actually feels more sanitary and the hot wax treatment is so nice. Right price for an excellent quality mani/pedí. Thank You Gel Bar! Read Less

I moved to the city and was looking for a new nail place. I do pink and white UV gels and it's not the easiest to find a place who can do them. I saw Gel Bar and decided to take a chance. My nails came ok pretty ok. The first picture looks nice but underneath my nails were all messed up from a messy gel job and she got gel on my fingers. I came out saying maybe if I go back a few more times she'll get what I want and get better. Well then just a week after my nails turned brown for no reason! And believe me I've been doing UV gels for 5 years so I know how to take care of them. I was disappointed. I went back to have them fixed but the girl that does UV gels wasn't there. The lady handling the phone/appointments wasn't even sympathetic to the fact that they did a bad job and I was trying to fix them. Didn't try to accommodate me for an appointment- just let me know when her next free slot was whether that worked for me or not. Their prices are reasonable and their hours are pretty good but for me I can't say I had the best experience. Read Less

This was my third time at gel bar. The first time I went, there was so much gel polish stuck under my nails, I had to go get it removed somewhere else. The second time was fine, with the exception of her cutting my finger. This time, I got a gel manicure today (that cost $90) and it ALREADY CHIPPED (photo attached). Needless to say, this place is a complete waste of money and I won't be going back. Read Less

Had a wonderful experience at The Gel Bar yesterday. There new place is amazing! Thank You Naomi for the wonderful service and beautiful and festive nails just in time for my birthday!See you next month! Read Less

Had a bad experience here. I had a gel manicure and pedicure. I paid $160 I really don't like the service. Her attitude not nice. She rushed to do my feet. And also she alway sigh. The price here is very expensive than other places.To Naomi Do you think this card is your business?? I paid $70 for gel pedicure and $60 something for gel manicure and paint something. Read Less

I was in the area for a meeting and my nails were in dire need of a manicure. I recently had a gel manicure and basically took them off myself so my nails looked pretty sad. I also had a nail that was basically broken in half and really painful. I managed to fix it a little with some nail glue but trust me my nails were in bad shape. I figured getting a manicure would fix it up a bit. This place is better known for their gel manicure but I figured my nails needed a break. My manicure was $15 which seems appropriate for the area but expensive considering I usually spend around $10 for a manicure. I assumed since it was more expensive it would be better. Gel Bar greeted my warmly coming in and I managed to snag a walk in. They take appointments and during busy days I would recommend it. Gel Bar has a lot of options for nails polish but they offer a better variety if you opt for gel. I always pick a dark red and they didn't have a good selection of ox blood colors. I ended up just picking a regular red. I wasn't offered any of their drink choices they had which put me in kind of an off mood. My manicurist was really nice and I like the hand mask they put on you. My manicurist also suggested putting gel on my broken nail so it would help it grow out. I figured why not my nails probably going to break so I should try to mend it. To put gel on this one figure it was an additional $5. I thought this was really excessive. But since people come here and pay 55+ here I guess it's nothing for them. The day I received my manicure and the day after it lasted pretty well. The third day however it went downhill. 3 of my fingers were chipping and now being the 6th day all my fingers are chipped and I will have to take them off. I usually don't mind chipping if I don't pay a lot for a manicure but this place was expensive so I expected it to last. I go to places in Chinatown that charge less than $10 and my manicures end up lasting me a week. I don't see myself coming back here in the future for a manicure. Read Less

Update: Wow. Nice try. No, there were no profanities, and no - there was no screaming... at least not by me. But rather than continuing to entertain with the "he said she said", let's focus on the facts. Poor quality service that resulted in broken extensions on multiple nails within a 2 week period, with reluctance to fix - when there are more pleasant, higher quality service at a lower price points offered by nearby competitors, minus the emotional owner response. Original review:The owner at the gel bar is very unprofessional and emotional.Never a great sign if the business owner says "DON'T EVER COME BACK HERE" to the customer. Whoa.I was unhappy with the quality of work they did on my nails because they peeled and broke after a few days, so I returned to get them fixed (within 2 weeks).  But then another 2 of my extension nails broke with some of the nails peeling again after a few days so I called to get them fixed again. For that second time, they insisted I needed to pay because they had "fixed" the nails already.  I let them know that sure, I was willing to pay because I had an upcoming wedding.  They said they were fully booked but the manager somehow squeezed me in on the upcoming Saturday.  However, a few hours later, the owner called me and said she'll give me a refund because I had "harassed her employees" including her, and asked instead that I don't return.  Interesting that they were the ones giving me attitude and kept commenting (i.e. complaining) that they had never seen people whose nails broken or peeled as easily as mine, which is an unnecessary comment.  Are they suggesting someone would purposefully break their own nails and get them fixed and waste time?I get gel nails all the time and I usually go to Japanese salons, but I wanted to try this place since it's close to where I live.  When I went to nearby Japanese salons I had no issues and the nail work would last 3-4 weeks, versus the peeling and the broken extensions after a few days that I experienced at gel bar (as well as the attitude).  I don't need to go back there given the superior service and quality from better options in the city.  It's the owner who's losing the customer. Read: If you had a bad day go take it somewhere else, not to your customers. The price here is more expensive than other places ($40 vs. $55) near this area - but with the higher price you experience poorer quality gels and the subpar service & quality.  So please don't waste your time and money and go somewhere else.  I recommend Studio L, M&M Studio (this was the last place I went recently, and my nails are great after 3 weeks), and Yukie Beauty Spa.  FYI, yukie beauty offers a glass of wine or champagne. Read Less

Very unexpected. It was on the 2nd floor of a hair studio. There were no soaking tubs for pedicures. Instead, they give you dry pedicures where they spray water, apply lotions and gels and whatnot on you as you leave your feet on an ottoman. I have never had a dry pedicure before and the fact that hey were still setting up when I arrived did not give me much reassurance. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The regular (non-gel) pedicure turned out great and lasted a very very long time. None of it was smudged or chipped for the following few weeks. I would highly recommend. Though it was definitely on the pricier side for a regular pedicure in the city. Read Less

Naomi is amazing! She will give you exactly what your looking for! I've had my nail done many times before and this was one of the best experiences I have had! Super talented and precise. My new favorite spot! Read Less

This place is super pricey but the work is good.  Very small spot above a hair salon.  But the women who work there are very nice. They've done some really nice designs on my nails.  I've gone to others but was disappointed and just ended up coming back.The dry pedicure I wouldn't really recommend, my nail started to chip rather quickly.  But the gel manicure is excellent! Read Less

The best gel manicure I've ever had, which considering by I've had them in three countries almost monthly for 2 years says a lot. They were nice, knew what they were doing, had immediate service available for a walk in, didn't try to up-sale me, didn't wait until I was already sitting to tell me there were extra costs, and the finish is flawless. The most annoying thing about nail shops is getting excited about an advertised price, or deal, only to find out it costs extra for them to do an actual manicure (remove the old polish, cut the cuticles, add a little lotion) this place gives a good price for great work and she even gave me a massage! Read Less

I've been meaning to write a review since last year of July 13.... I clearly remember this day because I was headed out of town for my birthday. I made an appointment for a gel manicure/design. One I specifically took off of their IG page. In a quick nutshell... I had 3-4 women working on my nails. It took OVER 2 hours AND the appliqué used, started falling off the next day. Unfortunately I wasn't able to return to the salon because I was already out of town. The women doing my nails were either inexperienced or dumped me for another client. I literally watched at least 2 people on each side of me come and go. The owner was even sitting there and didn't step in at all... even with all of my huffing and puffing. THEN they tried to charge me the full amount. The one star is because, one I am half Korean and I have to say they don't talk about you behind your back.... at least not while I was there and two... I am a licensed nail tech... a salon that practices proper sanitary regulations means a lot to me. Read Less

Made an appointment. Arrived on time, didn't have to wait. Place relaxing and everyone very nice. You can see there's a lot of great talent in the mix. I showed Lily what I wanted from a photo and she did it even better, which was hard to do considering my nails were pretty short. I've never been before, but decided to try something special from my regular salon for my engagement photos. Will definitely be coming back! Read Less

This place was fabulous in regards to the treatment and nail care provided. The staff was very kind and patient with me when choosing a design I wanted. There are so many options and combinations, the staff was not than happy to show us the options they can provide.The space was small and there weren't that many spaces. It's not a big deal if you make a reservation. Don't expect to be able to walk in and get an immediate response to wanting your nails done. However, the nail care they provide is worth the wait. My nails cost about $90 and it was my first time going. I probably won't go again only because of the price. If the price was lower, I would definitely go more often on my own. Read Less

So, I stumbled upon this location a few months ago to get a manicure and a pedicure. They don't have actual pedicure chairs and had me worried for a breif moment. As we started with the pedicure, goodness it was the best thing to happen to me for a while. Great staff who makes sure I'm always doing well, the massage was amazing and the quality of work if wonderful. While getting a manicure, you can request a massage (if it's not busy). They were able to get all my cuticles without cutting me. I would definitely come back again! Read Less

When I first walked in, I thought it was the entire salon but sadly, only a small portion of it was designated for The Gel Bar. I didn't like the atmosphere; seating is too close in premises with each other and it was a bit dirty/messy. Nails on the other hand were done quite well. Some nicks but overall I am impressed and is happy with the outcome. Read Less

I've been here twice now and the first time was amazing. One of the best manicures I've ever had. The only con was that it was pretty pricy, so I decided it was a place to come for special occasions because of the price point for a gel manicure with a design. Fast forward to my second visit (today)... I decided to come here as a little treat to myself for my birthday. I picked out a cute design and showed the technician the picture and told her I wanted it like the photo but with different colors. She said OK, but I think she probably didn't really understand me, because she asked me a couple times about this pinky white color and I told her, no, that I wanted gold and then she just left that part of the design on the nail clear.  I thought she was going to go back to it and do the gold later so I didn't say anything about the gold again since I had already told her twice. By the time I figured out she didn't understand what I meant she would have basically had to start over from the beginning to fix it, so I wasn't too fussed about it because I figured even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted, it was still going to be a good manicure. Unfortunately once it was done and I looked at it, I was disappointed to find that it was actually a pretty sloppy on top of everything (very noticeable differences in parts of the design from one nail to the next, parts where the color was too sheer, etc.) and I was pretty disappointed.  I didn't have the heart to point this out to the nail tech because it had taken her so long to do and she was very nice, but I'm pretty disappointed that I ended up spending so much money for a birthday treat to myself that I wasn't very happy with. I definitely should have voiced that I was unhappy while I was there... But I probably won't be back after this. Read Less

I used to love this place. Awesome paint jobs that lasted 3 weeks. Last 2 times I went were not great. 3 weeks ago I went and the technician filed the sides so hard I bled. It was hurting for a few days. But, I decided to go back this past Monday. I had a simple gel mani, no designs his time. It is Thursday and my polish is lifting and peeling. I used the more expensive Presto, which is always awesome. But I guess the techs are just doing a sloppy job. I would go back to get it fixed, but I'm traveling. Such a shame. I think they lost their best tech when Sol left. Read Less

Got a gel mani for vacay on Friday and by Monday my nail polish was chipped! I called and asked if they could fix my nails when I got back the following Friday and they said no problem. I came in and they were very nice except the polish chipped again then next day! I didn't wash dishes or do anything with my hands that should have caused the polish to chip so quickly. Needless toSay the atmosphere and staff is nice but the services are overpriced and do not last. Won't be returning here. Read Less

My favorite nail salon in the city! :)It's located on the second floor of a hair salon (and I think they are moving soon). There's about 4 pedi chairs and 7 mani chairs. I would definitely recommend making an appointment due to limited availability!I've been here 3 times so far and each time I get Presto gel with a design. Be sure to browse their Instagram (@thegelbar) for fancy designs. I've loved each of the designs I have gotten here! I've had nude pink with silver ombre, pale pink with rose gold triangles, and pale pink with bright pink designs.I'm not too sure about prices since I've always gone with work, but I don't think it's terribly cheap. After reading reviews, it sounded like gel with designs could set you back $60-80, depending on designs (if rhinestones or tape were used).I love how they put moisturizing gloves on your hands (with the tips cut off) while they do your nails. I believe the staff and owner are wonderful, attentive, patient, and detail oriented and I always look forward to going here. Read Less

They helped me a lot with deciding the colors. I just couldn't decide what color I wanted but they were willing to allow me try so many different colors. The colors they recommend were just my style. I had gel manicure and stayed long nicely. They bring the tools out of newly sealed plastic bag that ensured me with the sanitation. It only cost me 5 dollars to remove the gel later. The staffs are all friendly and the place is really nice. Read Less

Overpriced and poor customer service! Due to its high rating on Yelp, I went in to go try last week. I got a regular pedicure which which was about 50 dollars including tip. The ladies were nice but only a day after, the paint was coming off already. I know regular pedicure comes off easily but I thought it would keep its condition for at least three days. I was late to the appointment but I let them know when they first contacted me, I apologized over the phone and in person when I went in I didn't want to be late because I was short on time that day anyway. But the asian lady who seems to be in charge rudely said "You're late so you can get your manicure done at where you get the pedicure done." Ok. I was seating at the place where you get your pedicure done and I saw how other customers were all seated on the manicure area. I prefer to wait and then get a proper manicure done. AND I TOLD HER, I WILL WAIT IF I HAVE TO. At least when she said that, she could've asked me nicely, then I would've totally understood since I was late. But no, she commanded me to stay at the pedicure station and said it was my fault. Right after she said that, I didn't even want to stay there. I didn't even want to pay for the pedicure. But I didn't want to cause a scene. I tipped them well because I went in with enough money to pay for pedicure and gel manicure. I just want people to be aware that this place doesn't care about the customer service because they do have a good business from what I witnessed. But it's very overpriced for the quality you receive. I regret spending $50 regular pedicure that started coming off after a day. It was a WASTE OF MONEY. Very disappointing. Even after I apologized for being late and said I can wait, she seated me right away and treated me horribly. She could've said since I was late I had to wait. But she didn't have to mistreat me infront of other customers. She put me on the spotlight when I went in there thinking to spend money on good quality pedi/manicure. Don't waste your money. It's not worth it. Read Less

I wanted to update my review. I called to complain about my nails falling apart a week later and was told the only remedy they would offer would be a half priced manicure... So let me get this straight -  I paid $100 for what I thought would last 3-4 weeks. It's barely lasting a week and you offer to do my nails again for $50. So I already don't like your work and you want me to pay for it again. Cool, but no, thanks. ****I don't even know if they have CalGel - I literally cannot figure it out. My understanding is that CalGel is a brand. We made an appointment and said we specifically wanted CalGel. When we came in, they said, do you want Opi or Presto gel...? Ummm, I don't know, is either of them CalGel? So we chose Presto and it costs like $70 without any designs at all. It is now exactly a week and the outgrowing side of the enamel is already raised a little. It still feels like it's glued like hell to the nail, but there is very clearly some space between the nail bed and the gel sitting on top of it. Another thing I dislike about this gel is it's very raised so it actually looks like press-on nails. It's my first time getting this type of manicure, but I know I won't be going back here again for the service because I literally don't know what I paid for and what the heck Presto is vs CalGel.... Read Less

This was my first time here and I went on a whim to kill time while in NYC.I absolutely adored the manicure I received. It's perfection and I've never gotten so many compliments. I plan on going again in a few weeks and I haven't even had one chip on my manicure. Amazing place full of talent! They did exactly what I wanted. Read Less

This place is my shit and Naomi is my girl. I've been here a few times over the past year and she never disappoints. I always get calgel manicures and generally with a design. Yeah it's really expensive, but you get what you pay for. The quality and service is amazing. Naomi is so sincere, and it kind of blew my mind that she remembered my face, my name, and what we last talked about after I met her once (and there was at least a month in between the 2 first times I went). They put collagen gloves on you with the fingertips cut off for the duration of the manicure and massage it in when you're done. Sometimes someone gives you a quick shoulder massage too. My calgel nails generally last 3-4 weeks and I always receive compliments on my nails. I would definitely book an appointment because walk ins are tough and are often turned away (whenever I'm there). Naomi is always honest with me about what colors, shapes, and designs will look good on me since I'm self-conscious about my short nails and stubby fingers. This time I went in with some pictures for inspiration and let her do her thang. They came out beautifully. Read Less

This was my first time getting a pedicure without the soak and I must say, I was really relieved to not have to put my feet into a dingy tub that you know barely gets cleaned.  Dry pedicures are going to be my new thing now.I was worried about how the technician would get my feet soft enough for callous removal and cuticle cutting without soaking but she pulled out a copper cup and filled with warm paraffin and paint brush ad proceeded to layer it all over my legs, heels and bottoms of my feet. She then wrapped this paraffin in warm damp towels held in place by saran wrap which made the paraffin all melty again. Superb!The pedicure itself was thorough, I will say that cuticle removal without soaking is more of a rough and tug experience so maybe they will consider soaking just the toes in the little bowls like we do for our hands to get the cuticles softer? I really didn't enjoy the cuticle removal part but once we got passed that, it was smooth sailing. My toes were painted neatly and nicely and the removal of the paraffin left my skin silky smooth. There was callous removal which was very effective and a nice massage at the end. The staff was super attentive, I sat next to an impossibly demanding woman who couldn't decide on a color and had the technician remove the two coats of polish she had on her toes because she had settled on a different color that was one shade darker that what she had on. The technician did not lose her cool, she just took out another 10 minutes of her time to change the polish as requested. The woman wasn't really apologetic and her tip didn't compensate her for the time (sorry, I was sitting right next to her and I'm nosey!) but the technician handled this with grace and the customer left happy.The price was slightly less than I usually pay for a spa pedicure.I'm looking forward to coming back again and again for many more manicures and pedicures.Great Concept! Read Less

I was pretty satisfied with my experience.  I arrived on the Friday before Christmas and expected it to be extremely busy. Thankfully, I was one of the last available walkins for the day.  I always appreciate a warm greeting because it's a subtle hint about the service I am to receive. I opted for the regular manicure, $15, and saw quite a few polish options.  I didn't see my traditional OPI or Essie's but I was satisfied with the two colors I selected. As other reviews have mentioned, they do "dry" services. I didn't observe any foot baths or bowls but it was interesting.  My hands were placed into a glove, the girl that did my nails was gentle, and was extremely attentive. I absolutely loved the massage I received on my neck / shoulders while drying my nails.  Upon the end of my services, I asked if I could receive some extra lotion because it was blistering cold outside and she even added oil to it for me. While I'm not sure if I would come back for a pedicure, I would definitely come for a quick manicure! The place is on top of a hair salon so you will smell additional chemicals. They've done a good job. Read Less

My coworker recommend this place and even though they are expensive I wanted to try it out. I typically never spend $77 on only a manicure but I wanted to try "cal" gel because it's suppose to better for your nails. The staff is very nice; However the price is extremely too high for quality of work and the space looks like the images online but is VERY SMALL. I got a cal gel manicure that came up to about $67 with tax, plus a $10 tip on 12/1/2016 (Thursday). My nails we chipping by 12/6/2016 (Tuesday) 4 nails were chipped badly. I went in on 12/7/2016 (Wednesday) and the women that originally did my nails fixed them and put an extra clear gel coat on all of my nails, even the ones that weren't chipped (Free of Charge). After she fixed them I went grocery shopping, And one nail had COMPLETELY CAME OFF. And surely they all started chipping shortly after that. I didn't waste my time going back. They have great customer service and a lot of gel colors to choose from but overall. A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY. It seemed like they had a loyal customer base. I'm not sure if it was the woman who did my nails just sucked because my coworker never had this problem. But I won't be returningRead Less

My nails look horrific, the service was scary, the lady gave herself more of a massage then me. And what is this speak of dry pedicures, the water is the whole point! The guys hair was puffer than my nails, my hedgehog has better hair that him. My friend got a flower she didn't even ask for then was being viewed by other manicurists. My cat didn't even like my nails, which is telling u something. Go somewhere else far far away cuz anyway in "mid town" is terrible -Bella Wu Read Less