Salon Meraki Queen St 1101 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

"I am loyal to Paint Nail Bar in Rosslyn. After receiving a gift card, I decided to cancel my appointments at PNB and going to Meraki instead. I booked brow shaping and tinting, and classic mani with removal. The technician was ~20 minutes late for my appointment. When we did the brows, I was surprised she tinted and then waxed, versus the other way around. I got up to look at the final product and was shocked at the misshaping and darkness of them. I asked her to please lighten them if she could and reshape. She did. Then we moved on to my nails. Everything was great, except it felt rushed, and walked out of there with smeared nails because they weren’t dry even after I waited the ten minutes she told me without touching anything. The receptionist was kind to help with my purse, however, one of my nails smeared in front of her and she was completely unphased. I sat down to wait again. Another nail smeared. It’s like they were never going to dry. I got in my car to look at my nails and brows. I wondered why my brows stung and I kid you not my face is red as if they’re burned. I was expecting the most of this place given the rave it got. But note to self, don’t betray Paint Nail Bar."

"I think my overall review is technically a 4.5, but I decided I couldn't vote downwards because I love love love the quality here. This is the only salon I've been to thus far (and I've lived here my entire laugh) where the gel polish isn't popping off in 7-10 days. I actually get a whole 2.5-3 weeks flawlessly (from the colors I've tried thus far anyway!). I also appreciate the attention to detail I have received from 3 of the nail techs thus far. My only 0.5 rating knock is that I wish they had more gel colors! It seems pretty standard to reds, pinks, some purples...I'm just used to a touch more variety. It doesn't stop me from booking the next appointment though!"

"Great experience! Gwen was so kind and honest. I’ve been told to tint my brows (and have done it multiple times) and she was so honest about how it will wash off my skin so it wasn’t really helping my issue (faded micro blading). She was so quick and great. Completely recommend Meraki! I will need to come back for my nails next!"

"What I liked: very clean, pretty place, decent manicure (didn’t try any other services), nice color selection, staff was nice, complimentary sparkling wine, can tip via Venmo. Would be better if they had massage chairs for the pedicures, fans for drying nails, and if they prompted you to pay before putting color on your nails. I was pretty disappointed they don’t have that new regular nail polish that lasts much longer (in fact they had no idea what I was talking about, but every nail salon in Chicago has it). Also it’s very quiet - nice and peaceful, but I personally like when there’s some music or something going. But overall I enjoyed and would go back! UPDATE - my regular manicure chipped less than 24 hours after my appointment :( hence the 4 stars. But I would still go back to try a dip manicure"

"I really tried to like this salon. The aesthetic is nice but the service is lacking. The first time I came here, the owner, Kathleen did my nails and my cuticles were cut, sore and bleeding. I brushed it off because it happens. Tommy has done my other dip powder services and he can be hit or miss. Back in the summer I asked him for square extensions and he struggled to get a good shape with longer nails. He also struggled with making sure the powder was smooth. After 2 hours of him struggling back and forth, I was completely unhappy with my nails. He said I should come back the next day and he would do it all over again. The next day I came and just requested that he forget the tips and just do my nails short with dip. The next day I came and told Gwen that I was not happy with my service. She looked at my nails and told me that they were square and this is what I asked for but that Tommy would fix them. Gwen was very dismissive of my concerns. Tommy did my nails short and they came out good. Fast forward to this past weekend, I requested that Tommy remove my acrylic nails and do short dip (I know he has the potential to do short dip well). I asked that he cut them very short and shape them square. I noticed that he started filing my real nails coffin shaped. When I asked him why, he said it’s because my nails are uneven and that’s the way he needed to shape them. I would have appreciated if he suggested adding tips that are cut short to make all my nails even and uniform (other salons have done and suggested this for me). I even suggested he add a tip on one nail. I found myself having to micromanage him through how to do my nails and he is the supposed nail technician. My nails were not smooth. He had major lumps and bumps throughout and I had to keep saying…do you see this?…this nail is not filed correctly. I was completed unhappy with the results and Tommy knew it. See pictures attached. The young lady at the desk asked how my service was and I told her that I was unhappy. All she said was that she was sorry. No one offered any solution and I walked out of the salon $70 in the hole because I can’t stand to keep my nails looking disgusting like this. I tried and I have given this salon many chances just to be disappointed. Sadly, I won’t be returning and I won’t suggest any of my friends to go to this salon either."