I had scoured all the reviews on Yelp before deciding on Em Beauty Bar and I really really really wanted to love this place.
But... it was okay. I came in for a mani pedi and ended up doing a shellac mani and a regular pedi. I came in on a Friday at around 4pm and it was completely empty. There was a girl at the counter with short hair who was slumped over the counter and did not acknowledge me at all. I had to announce myself before this other Japanese girl came to show me over to the pedicure area. I had to ask her if I could select my colors and I was only shown the wall and not the swatch wheel, which I later on spotted as she was doing my manicure. I would have preferred to use the swatch wheel as it's easier for me to use in determining what color to pick. Otherwise, the girl was generous in allowing me to try out 3 reds on my nails before deciding on the one.
It was a nice place decor-wise but very messy. In the pedicure area there was a mini fridge on the ground in the corner with the staff's half-eaten food and fruits all over the place. Definitely ruined the aesthetics of the place and was a cause for confusion. I understand that the space is small, but for a salon that seems to place a focus on decor, this definitely contradicted any of the deliberate furnishings. I also wish that there were places for me to put my jacket and my bag or that someone had at least offered me some water. The Japanese girl did a good job on my nails overall, but I noticed that my shellac nails chipped in multiple spots less than 1.5 weeks after my manicure. Typically shellac lasts at least 2-3 weeks for me, so this was definitely disappointing. Otherwise, EM wasn't the best but wasn't the worst... They have a pretty good selection of colors, their tools seem clean and the prices are alright.