About — Cute Nail Studio

Our two houses

Both locations are actual houses, not strip-mall storefronts.

The Rainbow House on East 7th is an OG ATX bungalow from the 1920s, still owned by the guy who grew up in it. We're proud of it. We're proud we're not part of the creeping beige-condo wave eating the rest of the city.

The Pink Palace on South Congress is tucked into the first floor of a condo. It's smaller, softer, and a little bit precious — exactly as the name promises.

You can walk into either one and get the same thing: artists who know what they're doing, an air filtration system that punches above its weight, and zero attitude about who you are or what you're booking.

What we stand for

A handful of things we won't budge on.

🏳️‍🌈

Safe space, full stop.

We're free of hate speech and tend to the needs of every staff member and client. We don't believe in MANicures or charging extra for a male brazilian. Gender is a spectrum and we'll happily perform any service on anyone, regardless of what their genitals happen to look like.

💸

Artists get paid. No noncompetes.

Our employees are well-paid, local badass artists and are never required to sign a noncompete contract. If that sounds basic, ask yourself whether the strip-mall salon across town does the same.

🌬️

NASA-airlock ventilation.

We have a crazy expensive ventilation system with fume extractors at every table. Partly because we wanted state-of-the-art air filtration, partly because new city ordinances demand new salons basically be NASA airlocks. Either way, your lungs are hooked up.

💵

Cash only, on purpose.

Paying 4% of every sale to a credit card processor is genuinely hard on a small business. Cash keeps prices cute and vibes smooth, and keeps more money in our local economy. We have the lowest-fee ATM in the whole city on premises. And it's extra cute. xoxox

🌙

Open later than anywhere.

Sometimes you just want to get your nails done and it's late. We get that. Us, too. We're open later than any other salon in the city — or actually anywhere, as far as we know.

🍸

25% off for service industry.

Sundays and Mondays at South Congress, 25% off almost everything for waitstaff, bartenders, strippers, pedicabs, retail, nurses, and sex workers. It's pretty broad. Honor system. No pay stub.

From our clients

You don't have to take our word for it.

★★★★★

4.5 · 627 Google reviews

★★★★★

"I had my first appointment at Cute Nail Studio with Lorb and it was perfect! She has such an eye for detail and was able to perfectly hand paint tiny details like a bow and arrow on one nail without even looking at a reference photo! The whole staff is super kind and professional and I feel like the price is right on point for the quality you get. This was the best manicure I have ever had."

Sarah Murphy

7 months ago

★★★★★

"Gracie is honestly the best. She's kind, professional, and down to earth which makes it easy being in the chair. Her work is always on point and never rushed. My nails turn out exactly how I want them (if not better!!) and I get compliments on them all the time. You can tell she truly cares about her craft and her clients. As much as I'd like to gatekeep, I recommend her to anyone who asks because she's unmatched."

McKenzie Farrell

7 months ago

★★★★★

"I was in Austin for a work trip and decided to treat myself. When I looked up local nail salons and saw Cute Nail Studio I immediately knew I needed to visit. I was lucky enough to snag an appointment with Val for acrylic extensions. I showed up with a vision and a few photos I had pulled together. She totally nailed it! The result was even better than I had imagined."

Angela Larson

10 months ago

Things we get asked a lot

A little more about how we do this.

Where are y'all from? +

Some of us are born and raised Austinites. Ask us about ATX in the 90s — we love to reminisce. If you went to high school here around then there's a non-zero chance we have hooked up with some of the same people.

Why are you more expensive than that spot in the strip mall? +

Our employees are well-paid, local badass artists who are never required to sign a noncompete contract. The implication here is that you might not find that at a lot of other salons, and that maybe you should think about that when you pop into a low-cost salon. Maybe.

Do you offer hand massages? +

We don't offer spa massages. We house nail artists and want them to have as much time as possible to create. Right now we're more like a tattoo studio where you pay for an artistic service, not a public relaxation experience. You wouldn't ask your tattoo artist to scratch your head, right?

Drinks? +

Yes! Sparkling water, flat water (wish there was a better word for it though), coffee, tea, cocoa, wine, champagne or beer. Sometimes we have Cokes and cute collabs with local brands.

What's up with this bathroom I see all over the internet? +

Our bathroom is a nightmare disco mirrorball of LED and neon, which is great when you need to get away from the overwhelmingly chill vibes of the rest of the building.

Come see us. We legit love you.

Two locations in Austin. Open later than anyone else. Cash only, with the lowest-fee ATM in town on site.

Book an appointment Find a location

Welcome home.

Both locations are actual houses, not strip-mall storefronts.

A handful of things we won't budge on.

Safe space, full stop.

Artists get paid. No noncompetes.

NASA-airlock ventilation.

Cash only, on purpose.

Open later than anywhere.

25% off for service industry.

You don't have to take our word for it.

A little more about how we do this.

Come see us. We legit love you.