I've had good and poor experiences with Aqua Nail Bar. I hosted an after-hours party at their Fairview location, and I was extremely pleased with the whole experience. The staff was helpful and attentive, and everything went as planned. They give wonderful manicures and pedicures. On a recent occasion, though, we had made pedicure appointments a month in advance by phone to ensure a quality "girls' day," since some friends were in from out of town. When we arrived, they had no record of our appointments being made. That part is understandable; these things happen. What prompted me to write a review is the way they approached the situation - there was no apology or offer to rectify anything. All four employees at the desk were, frankly, cold and unfriendly. I was very disappointed, especially after having such a positive experience with them before.

They are clean, friendly and they do an excellent job. The Goleta location is also just as good with the same nice atmosphere . They made a loyal customer out of me after only one visit; I don't think I'll ever go to another nail salon!

The soft lighting and aquamarine decor make you feel peaceful, like you're lounging under water. It's got a hip feel without being pretentious. I've always lamented how every nail salon I've been to is garish with loud tvs, music, and chattering of the employees as well as those terrible overhead flourescent lights. Aqua has none of that. Another nice feature: you can have your mani and pedi done simultaneoulsy to save time. And for all that, the prices are about what I've paid anywhere else.