This place is one of the multitude of tattoo joints that has sprung up in recent times. It seems…read morenow every bastard is getting inked and it can be hard to tell who's cashing in on the trend and who's in it for the long haul. These dudes are clever, however, and are differentiating themselves as an art gallery slash tattoo joint. It's just so crazy it might work. The latest addition to the place is Lara Slater, who, as it turns out, has been tattooing for 15 years now and specialises in custom work. She did her time in the states and you can check out her visual art on the walls. They have revolving exhibitions in the place and as far as tattoo shops go, this one is super inviting and colourful. It's the kind of place you can browse without feeling weird or pressured in any way, and there ain't many tattoo joints on Sydney Road, so it's a welcome addition to the flash and existing colour of the area.

Got a tattoo from Paddy at Peril tattoo on Collins Street. Not impressed with the quality as it…read morestarted to peel not long after it was applied. I think it might have been a sticker as it has completely dissapeared. Asked for my money back, saying id put a review on yelp, he replied by calling me a yelp. Also told me to eat a snot. Again, Paddy from the tattoo parlour on Collins Street is a not the best tattoo aritst around, however, if you need stickers applied, hes the guy for you

I got a tattoo from these guys today and I can honestly say that it was the best tattoo place I've…read moreever been to. They were all some warm and welcoming, making me fee very comfortable before my tattoo. It was very evident that the tattooers were very experienced in what they were doing, and the whole place had a very nice and relaxing environment. I would 100% get another tattoo there again! Thanks so much Sean and Penny

I stumbled into Voodoo Ink way back in 2005 when I first moved to Melbourne. I'd parked myself in…read moreSt Kilda (as many newcomers do) and was looking to get a walk-in tattoo done to kill a Saturday afternoon. The guy I spoke to was super enthused by the ideas I had (old-school OG swallows on my shoulders) and at that time, they were very open to walk ins. Little did I know, the tattooist in question would go on to work in one of Melbourne's premiere tattoo shops (Tattoo Magic) and Voodoo kind of allowed him to develop his chops. That seems to be the role of Voodoo Ink. They don't really hold on to talent but they allow newcomers an environment to hone their skills. This means that at any given time, the quality of artists in the shop can vary, so if you're particular about 'perfect' tattoos (I'm not), Voodoo won't float your boat. The batch they have now look pretty good (check the website) but that may be a different story in the future. The shop's not as much of a dump as it used to be also, and they've got plenty of flash art for those who wanna pick off the wall. This is no purist style shop, but it serves a function and there are surprisingly few studios in St Kilda.

Got my second tat at Voodoo. Located in the heart of St Kilda, this studio offers about 4 different…read moreartists, and with a couple of apprentices, rates are competitive. Mikey Sharks is a chief and talented tattooist.

Don't worry about the frontage, it's business as usual at East Brunswick Tattoos. In a very short…read moretime, this shop has developed a reputation for work of very high quality. The problem with the joint is that the shop they've occupied acts as a regular crash barrier for speeding traffic entering Lygon Street from Holmes. On several occasions, cars have missed the bend and ended up through the front window of the place. But hey, you're getting tattooed right? Live on the edge why don't ya. Outside of the hazardous locale, it's a relief to find a non-biker tattoo shop in an area which is canvassed with heavier style shops. These folk are mellow, helpful and approachable and are happy to work from flash art or to customise your ink. And there's a bottle shop at the slightly horrendous pub over the road, so you can wet your whistle when your done. It also looks like the council are investing a bit of money in fixing up the crash barriers, so there'll be no reason to fear for your life.

This sounds a bit odd, but I took my mum to get a tattoo for her birthday this year. Since she…read morereached her fifties she's discovered her youth again, and is determined to do a few crazy things she never did the first time around. Mum wanted a dragonfly tattooed on her shoulder (apparently insects are all the rage in the menopausal crowd) and had already picked out a design. A well-inked friend recommended we go Vic Market Tattoo. Given we wanted to go on a Saturday, I had to book a few weeks in advance as it's their busiest day. When we arrived for the appointment they were running a bit behind schedule, so we hung out in the 1950's diner style front and flicked through the design books, which proved funnier than you'd expect. The girl who did my mum's ink was lovely - she kept mum chatting to distract her from the pain, and made some good suggestions around changing the colour of the design to make it 'pop' more. Although the final result isn't to my taste, it was exactly what mum wanted and the quality is undeniably good.

So my father attended the shop to ask about a small tattoo of my brothers name, consisting of 4…read moresmall Letters. He was quoted $120 as the minimum charge, which was fine. The tattooist then began asking him questions about his older tattoo's, which were done many years ago by a well known Melbourne Artist, Dickie Reynolds. The guy asking the questions seemed nice and very interested in the old tattoos. But when my father wanted to set an appointment, the tattooist refused to take an appointment and refused to tattoo him, because according to him, "only certain kinds of people" got tattoo's from Dickie Reynolds, becasue tattooing wasn't popular, and those people were not welcome for tattoos in his shop. So I don't know what the guys art was like, we never got further than the front door before my Father was highly offended, directly insulted and the receipt of direct prejudice and discriminatory treatment based solely on the tattoo's which adorn his body. Why ask questions about Tattoos if you are not going to like the answer? Strange place

What a fantastic experience i had with Third eye from my initial phone call to the actual tattoo…read more I was put in with a fellow by the name of Bugsy, he was super easy going very happy about doing my idea which was a love heart with a dagger through it,he designed it on the day of the tattoo and i was so happy with it. the shop itself is super cool with such a good energy and the receptionist was super friendly and greeted myself and my friend with a big smile and welcome. I would highly recommend this place if you're looking for a humble and professional tattoo shop

Though I'm yet to be tattooed by Third Eye folk, I have it on good authority that they are the…read moretits. There are a handful of studios in Melbourne that slot into the upper echelon of work, apparently Third Eye is in the ball park of Tattoo Magic and Chapel Tattoo. They encourage walk ins at Third Eye and this, these days, is a rarity. Their rates are highish and they do charge for drawing of custom work, but just go in and check out the quality and you'll see why it's a bit pricey. They have great gender balance here so there's none of that macho attitude you'll get at the biker shops. Plus, girls tend to have a bit of a lighter touch with the needle, so it doesn't hurt so bad. The shop is immaculate and the folk are super friendly. It's the kind of place you really want if you're a newbie to the world of tatt's. It's the kind of place you'd take your grandma.

Got a tattoo from Paddy at Peril tattoo on Collins Street. Not impressed with the quality as it…read morestarted to peel not long after it was applied. I think it might have been a sticker as it has completely dissapeared. Asked for my money back, saying id put a review on yelp, he replied by calling me a yelp. Also told me to eat a snot. Again, Paddy from the tattoo parlour on Collins Street is a not the best tattoo aritst around, however, if you need stickers applied, hes the guy for you

Fitzroy's Dangerzone Tattoo is owned by husband and wife team Craig and Ally Riley…read more My boyfriend got his last tattoo here and they were great. He was game enough to get it done by a trainee artist so it was only $90 and (thankfully) the quality was excellent. Tattoos are by appointment only and the minimum charge for all tattooing is $100. The hourly rate for large pieces is $150.

Had a family crest piece done a few years ago here - it was above and beyond what I was hoping for…read more The artist combined 5 images into 1 for me, and his first sketch was on the money. 6 hours in the chair in total, and I was blown away with the clean lines, shading and attention to detail. After that experience, I'm hesitant to settle for anything less now! Well worth a visit.