I had such an amazing experience here at Ants Tattoo Studio. I had the pleasure of working with Angel. I came here on a whim for Friday the 13th. They were so accommodating and nice, Alex greeted me and got my friend and I in to get some flash. I have yet to get a tattoo here in San Jose and I think I found my new spot. My tattoo artist was Angel! He was so unbelievably kind and very supportive throughout the process. Although I've had tattoos before I appreciate how thorough he was and explaining each and every step. I want to come back to him and get work for my boyfriend and I done. The vibe is unmatched! They are so sweet, it's homey, and they make you feel comfortable with them. I can't wait to come back. :) read more

See all

I didn't want to leave this review because I genuinely feel bad doing so, but I was disappointed with my experience. I paid a $100 non-refundable deposit for a cover-up design and was repeatedly sent AI-generated artwork despite asking multiple times for original, hand-drawn flowers. I also never felt confident that the design would actually cover my existing tattoo. On the day of my appointment, communication was poor, the appointment started over an hour late, and I ultimately decided not to move forward with the cover-up. I used my deposit toward a smaller tattoo instead. While I'm happy with the tattoo I ended up getting, the lack of communication and reliance on AI-generated designs made this a frustrating experience. read more

Love my fine line golden poppies! Adorable place, quiet and calming, so clean, super sweet staff. What more can you ask for?

We lost our 20-week son due to complications couple months ago. It's been a tough road to a new normal. One thing we wanted was to honor and remember him and decided to get a tattoo to represent the eternal mark he had left with us. I searched online with little success until I came across Weiqi at Ants Tattoo. Though she didn't have any specific baby prints in her visible portfolio of work, I liked her style and was confident in her ink work. So I reached out and was able to get a nice concept. She was able to replicate the photos I sent with amazing accuracy and more than delivered a priceless piece for me and recently my wife. She may not know just how much this meant to us, but it was truly a big part of our healing process. We and Steph (our angel baby) thank you from the bottom of our hearts. read more

See all

Everything I hoped for. It's been 8 years since I had the opportunity to get inked again after having my first son. It was really hard to find an artist in the Bay Area that I could trust and not feel to be judged on what I wanted. The artists were very friendly and displayed all their pieces on his/her stations. It was nice to see the different styles. The shop is kept really clean and they offered drinks if we were thirsty on our mid break. Zoey, executive the piece to perfection. I showed her a piece of what I wanted and ask to incorporate some of my favorite flowers. The colors she picked were exactly what I wanted. Not too bright and the lines were so light and detailed. The price is totally worth it. Will definitely be coming back and sharing her business with my friends & family. read more

Booked an appointment with Zoey (zoey_tattoo.art on IG) for a fine line tattoo session for three in October, and we had such a great experience here at Ants Tattoo! Zoey made accommodations for a later appointment, since two of us were traveling from the North Bay. The shop was tidy and clean. There was another appointment happening with another artist while the three of us were there, but not crowded or busy in the least bit. Once we signed all of our paperwork, we each took turns getting our tattoo placed. Zoey was really patient with us and made sure everything was to our liking before beginning the tattooing process. She cleaned up her station between each of our sessions, and we were out of there before we knew it. Our tattoos were decently priced, they came out great, and we overall, have no complaints! Will definitely look into booking another tattoo session with Zoey in the future. read more

See all

Found Zoey on IG and let me tell you she was great! She is very thorough on explaining your tattoo choice and placement. My friends and I decided to do matching tattoos and they came out great! We are already looking to get another matching one and will definitely book with Zoey !! read more

Terrible payed deposit and no refund person didn't sleep and didn't show up either worst experience ever

This was my first tattoo and I was really nervous, but I got Zoey and she made me feel so comfortable. It was my birthday and I brought my friends with me and she let them be a part of this experience with me. This was such a good experience and I can only thank Zoey for making me so comfortable. So if you're looking for a place that will make you at ease I 100% recommend! read more

Ants Tattoo recently opened up an SJ location - they have another location in Tustin in SoCal. Found them through instagram/yelp and was easily able to set up an appointment on instagram. Showed them inspo pics and was able to get a quote. Immediately put down a deposit. Flash forward, appointment day. They were able to take us in a little earlier than scheduled. We were the only ones in the tattoo shop which was nice and everything was cleaned & COVID precautions were in place. Zoey, our lovely tattoo artist for the day, sketched out our tattoos prior to our appointment and was extremely patient with us, especially with all the changes to make sure it was absolutely perfect. The tattoos turned out just how we had envisioned. We paid about ~$150-220 for our tattoos (0.5-1.5" in size). Cash preferred, but they do have Venmo. The waivers included information about the tattoo risks & consent for pictures so we were well informed about the procedure. Aftercare instructions were posted on the wall. Everything went as smoothly as it could be and they had great music to enjoy! Zoey actually moved from the SoCal location to help open up a shop in SJ. So glad we have her here. I will definitely be back if I somehow decide to get yet another tattoo... thank you so much again Zoey! read more

I came across this studio through searching on Instagram and I really found Zoey's style and work to fit what I wanted for my tattoo. I reached out through DMs about my piece, got my estimate, booked my appointment, sent a deposit, and just had to wait till the day came. Took about a good 4 hours with one break in between and normally I stay quiet when I get my tattoos hehe. This tattoo has gotten the most compliments ever! I always tell them to go visit this studio if they ever look to get a tattoo. All the other artists have such good work too, I might come back for another, one day! Love love my tattoo, and the overall vibe of this place I definitely recommend! read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

I found Ants Tattoo on Instagram, and I was looking through the portfolios when I came across Weiqi. Booking an appointment was really easy with her, and we decided on the placement on the day of. The paperwork was super straight forward as well. Since this was my first tattoo, I asked for her to try like a small line just to get a feel of it. She kindly did, and everything else just sailed smoothly. There wasn't much interaction between us probably because of the language barrier, but I was pretty comfortable throughout the process. The ratings for this shop are really mediocre, but I trusted Weiqi's abilities because of her portfolio. The tattoo came out perfect and just the way I wanted it. I would definitely come back for another one in the future. Be mindful that the prices are higher than average. read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - This is the tattoo that I got. It's a swallow. - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

easily set up an appointment with the tattoo shop (@antstattoo_sj) on instagram. the price estimate for my tattoo was very accurate to the actual price charged. weiqi (@swq47) has a big portfolio of cute animal tattoos, was really accommodating, and made it easy to make edits to the drawing the day of. the shop was kind of small. bathroom for employees only. cash only in the shop. $100 deposit needed for appointments. parking was easy and in a private parking lot right in front of the place. read more

See all

Vang did a spontaneous mandala on me and it turned out so cute!! Went back in the next day for a touch up and it healed very quickly. Haven't had any problems with it since I've gotten it. Vang was very professional throughout the session and I'm definitely coming back for some more ink from her. Her Instagram is @lifeofvang ‍ read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Mandala - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

I called Ants to see if they had availability for a walk-in which they kindly replied saying they did. I've never gotten a tattoo before and I wanted to treat myself for my birthday so I didn't really know what to expect. I wanted to get a simple vine that wrapped around my arm, nothing crazy. I walk into the shop and was greeted by one of the workers. I show them what I wanted and the tattoo artist started drafting up another design. I sign the disclosures and they tell me it's going to be a while so I should grab lunch. I said I was okay but wanted to confirm the price to which the receptionist said was $1,500. I said I'd continue waiting but had a hunch about the price so I texted my friend if that was a reasonable deal. Again, first time getting a tattoo and I understood that artists should be paid for their hard work for what they do. The receptionist checked in on me as I was about to leave asking why I changed my mind. I replied I don't feel comfortable paying $1,500 and they told me to have a happy birthday. They didn't even try to break down the price for me. I left Ants and went to another tattoo shop in San Jose where they only charged me $300-$500. Nearly 5x less than what Ants was asking for. To anyone looking to get a tattoo for the first time, I don't recommend this place. I feel like I was taken being advantage. It was a close call. read more

I got my very first tattoo here. There is such a great place for you to find out what you want. Vang is my girl. I gave her the idea and she made it better than ever. I was so lucky to choose this place for the first time doing it. Strongly recommend you to come and use services there read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Compass Arrow Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Weiqi did an amazing job on my tattoo! paperwork was quick + she made sure i was confident abt the size n placement before starting. i was shaking a bit just cus of the position i was holding my arm in and she asked multiple times if i was okay or if i needed a break :) $300 total and i was in n out in a couple hours read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

Got this Spirited Away themed tattoo by Rin. It was quick and the lines are super clean. I love the color in normal light and under UV light. I'd definitely come back and get another tattoo by her! Her ig is rumplingz read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Unresponsive artists, also adds random details to the agreed upon design, also blatantly steals other artist designs from the internet. Technique wise, Danny is good and knowledgable but that is the only redeeming quality. read more

Booking the appointment was simple and easy. Day of tattoo appointment had an odd experience, the girl who did my tattoo seemed to be upset because of the time which I had scheduled my appointment, she was rather rude and not welcoming. Made me uncomfortable. Tattoo was thin and did not scab at all for "healing". I asked to come back to fix it and go over it, not very helpful with getting appointment scheduled. Would not recommend to anyone. Tattoo 2/5, customer service 0. read more

I don't usually write reviews but I felt like I needed to let people know. (This is in no way a hate post to the artist. I do understand that I am paying for the artist talent but this is a bit too much) The whole process for getting the tattoo was really easy, I reached out to them on insta and got an immediate answer which was nice. I came over for a quick consultation and they told me the price for my tattoo would be $550 with a downpayment of $50 which I obliged, even though I thought it was a bit overpriced. I looked at the different artist at their location and decided to book with Zoey. To give you some context, I was getting a 5 inch line drawing with simple shading of a specific flower with some geometric shapes. I wanted to get this tattoo as a birthday present to myself. I gave the person that I talked to my Pinterest board so that they could see the type of design that I wanted and could make something from that. When I got to my appointment, they literally had picked out a design straight from my Pinterest board with a slight change to be the flower I wanted. I decided to go ahead and get the tattoo anyways because in a way, it was what I wanted. Took about an 1.5 for the tattoo itself but 3 hours in total waiting from them to get situated and fixing anything that was needed for the tattoo. Overall, had a great experience it was just the cost that made my head turn a bit. (The price changed to $750 when I asked for simple shading) This isn't all, I reached back to them for another tattoo that I wanted that was only 3 inches and wanted to charge me $550 for this one as well. I thought it was weird because they were charging me the same price for a bit smaller tattoo. On top of that, my brother reached out for a small 1 inch tattoo from their flash sale (that was supposed to be $80) and tried to charge him $300 for it. I've decided not to go back to this shop after this experience and their choice to overprice these. read more

Very unprofessional, I would try to book an appointment and they would just keep rescheduling. Had a small tattoo that was about 5" that I wanted to get done and they were going to charge me 500. They'll overcharge you here, find somewhere else to go! read more

I do not like leaving bad reviews, ever, but... my daughter got a tat there with a friend. She wanted a small finger tat of lavender sprigs. She said it was a flash sale thing. She thought they told her $80 and even tho it was high, she wanted to support and agreed. After they were done, they told her it was actually $180. She thought they said $80, otherwise she wouldn't have done it. So, 1. they did not do the lavender she wanted and gave her some small random leaves instead, 2. the quality is crap, so light and she'll have to retouch later but 3. they are over way over priced. Not worth it for the time, size and quality. People make sure you do your homework, experience and LOTS of testimonials are important. read more

have had 2 tattoos done by Zoey and i love both of them. shop is very clean and the environment is very chill. only thing is it's a bit on the more expensive side, but the quality makes it worth it. read more

I'm sorry to say that I felt very uncomfortable and would not recommend this shop at this time. Prices are ridiculously high for flash pieces, my 4" flash with a color that took 1.5 hours to complete was $580 before tip. I want to be as understanding and forgiving as possible, and I am here to support local artists and pay well for something that is modifying my body. That being said, I would hope for some respectful practices in return. For one, my appointment was set for 1pm and the artist wasn't ready to start laying ink until after 2pm. This wasn't a walk-in and I had set my design before coming in. Also I was never told who I was booked with prior to my appointment (I booked with a flash piece, so I could have been scheduled with anyone from the shop) and when I came in they never introduced themselves to me. I had to pause and ask for their name part way in to my appointment. Throughout the tattoo being inked in the artist did not check in with me at all. No check-point updates like "done with line work, moving to color." No check-ins to see if I needed to stretch. I just felt very disconnected from the artist. Lastly, in my very first messages with my breakdown of what I was looking for I noted that I wanted this on the side of my ribcage next to another tattoo I already have. When booking my appointment nothing was said about if this wasn't possible. But then at the start of my appointment I was told it should be done on my arm? I tried to clarify asking if it logistically can't be done on my side, and they said no they could do it but it would look good on my arm. At that point I started to feel very judged and insecure about my body. I paid the price they asked plus a tip because I know that if I felt very uncomfortable they must have felt awkward too and I'm sorry for that. I still wanted to support them since they just opened this shop. But unfortunately I will not be coming back again, and felt compelled to write this review. I am not upset with the tattoo that I have, but I hope that the miscommunication that I experienced can be alleviated for future clients. This is a brand new shop right now, so I have hopes that they can build on this experience. Again, in the end the art was okay but I drove home crying from anxiety. I don't have a picture to add because the artist took a photo on their phone for their portfolio, and I wasn't able to take my own photo until after it was wrapped and bleeding which I don't think I want to share here. read more

Do not come here for a flash event. The tattoo shop failed to mention that most of the artists during this event are apprentices with barely any experience on fake and real skin. The lines on my tattoo are blown out. She also inadvertently hit my skin causing 5 random dots that were not part of the design . I'm already planning a cover up with another artist. Unless you have Zoey or Rin as a tattoo artist, don't bother. read more

I got a tattoo here yesterday. The booking process was fine. A bit over priced but whatever. I asked who my artist was going to be, they let me know their name was Zoey. Cool! I saw her work and I loved it. I come in and they ask who my artist is and I let them know it's Zoey. The artist comes up to me who I assumed was Zoey, and asks what my tattoo was... Shouldn't she know? She tapes the stencil on me and tells me to choose the location which is weird because I don't know if the stencil would be straight if I chose the exact spot! (Turns out it was not straight at the end) "Zoey" never introduced herself to me. She made some small talk. Once the tattoo is done I think it looks fine. I pay and leave. TODAY, my husband ask me why my tattoo is crooked! I took a ruler and he's right, it's not symmetrical. Today I also realized that Zoey was not my artist! It was someone named Rin who is an apprentice! The last thing i wanted was for an apprentice to do my tattoo and charge me up the ass for it! 300$ for an hour tattoo. So I'm now livid! I feel like that's why she didn't introduce herself. I might have to file a complaint with my bank because this ain't it. read more

See all

Leaving this review for Nikki, she was so awesome at communicating, super friendly, and her art was so on point it's looks just like the picture! I'll definitely be going back and seeing her again! read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Moth tattoo by Nikki - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Tattoo touch-up completed by Rin today. Very simply, I needed some blown lines and color correction on a 10 year old, 4in x 4in tattoo. Took 20-30 min to clean it up. It was $120-Rin is good, but shy and not very talkative, so you have to be comfortable with this, which was okay for me since it was such a short time period. Nothing negative to say, but I know it's probably going to cost me at least $500 for a brand new tattoo of the same size if I come back again, which may be a bit expensive in comparison to other shops in the area. read more

i booked directly with Rin over instagram (@rumplingz), and it was an incredibly easy process!! i messaged her with details about what i was interested in getting + some inspo pictures + the poem my piece is inspired by, she said she was down, i paid my deposit, showed up two weeks later, she showed me the design she came up with, i was in love with it, and then i had a very chill tattooing experience and now have a tattoo i adore. i really couldn't be happier with it; i look at it all the time and all my friends do, too read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - my two headed calf 3 - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

In conclusion, would recommend! I had a design in mind for the tattoo and I scheduled the appointment very easily for the following day via message on their Instagram profile, my tattoo was done by Zoey Who was really kind and professional. Lots of parking spots and McDonald's close by read more

I would say that the overall experience at this tattoo place is dependent on who you get. me and my gf have been tattooed by different artists from Rin, Vang, and Zoey. I feel Rin's work is very original and her drawings are amazing and creative but once we started tattooing Rin was very shy. We didn't talk a lot, and it was a very awkward exchange I would say. However, keep in mind we got tattooed from her in the very beginning of her tattoo journey so things might have change. Vang was the nicest and made me feel the most relaxed. She had the best communication, and because mine was a custom piece she would talk to me if there were any changes and would constantly keep me in the loop. I would definitely recommend this artist !!! Zoey, although being one of the more skilled tattoo artists at the shop, had awful customer service. my gf had come into the shop to get a cover up. she was somewhat helpful in the beginning but once we left the shop to message her, her communication was zero to none. we would send her pictures to see if the cover up would work and she would reply with just "sure" and that was most of the conversation. Strangely, although it was a custom, she gave NO drawings or details on what was going to happen. Also we had paid the deposit and she didn't tell us her rate or anything until later when we found out her rate is 300/hr. We were stuck but we were fooled to trust her, and later she was the worst tattoo experience that both of us ever witnessed (I have been to multiple artists from all different places). We decided to do a peony and all she said was "sure". No drawings or ideas where and how it was going to look like. but once we got there she was late to the appointment without notice and then started to create the idea in-front of us and it did NOT look like the reference at all and we felt trapped because we already paid, so we went ahead and got the tattoo. The whole time she never talked to us or asked if we were doing alright. My gf even cried and she didn't ask us if we needed a break. the cover up covered the old tattoo, but came out to be a bigger disappointment than the original as it was nothing like what she wanted. My gf feels so uncomfortable in her skin because it was not what she expected at all, and she wishes she never went here. read more

Rin did an amazing job on my tattoo. It is pricey but the quality is very good. My aftercare was also very easy, barely any itching or peeling. Would definitely go back read more

Claire was so sweet and welcoming to me and my friends as walk in tattoos! She did a floral tattoo on my wrist and I absolutely love it! She was so patient and super badass! Claire made sure I comfortable and didn't shame my tiny tattoo like some artists do! Her energy was super pumped up so it made less nervous and more excited for the process! Highly recommend going to Claire if you ever visit there read more

Went in for a tattoo with Marisa. She did such an incredible job, she listened to exactly what I wanted and made a few changes for me. The tattoo came out perfect and I couldn't be happier! Very clean place and friendly staff. read more

Ants Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - San Jose, California

This was a cool tattoo shop with a great atmosphere. Everyone was super friendly. Convenient location near downtown, and Levi executed my tattoo perfectly. Super talented--will be back soon. read more

Just a fair warning to anyone getting tatt'd here.. they use a cheap generic brand of saniderm they order off Amazon that commonly causes allergic reactions in the people who get tattoos done. They don't spend the money on the hypoallergenic medical grade saniderm.. I got a tattoo done and the next morning woke up with a rash and puss bubbles all around the edges of where the generic saniderm was placed. The art is fine and their very nice people.. but just be aware you may have an allergic reaction to the cheap generic brand of saniderm read more

This place is awesome. Very professional and awesome artist here. I had my Tatto done by "Vang" and I love my tattoo. It was exactly how I wanted read more

How should I even start this, a couple months back a tattoo artist by the name of Justin was giving out free tattoos just for a way for him to get out there more luckily I made the cut before the deadline ended. Justin seem like a really friendly down to earth type of guy and he seem motivated to get this tattoo done for me .well after that first conversation it was all downhill from there Justin completely lacks communication of any kind I would find myself messaging him every few days and then weekly just because I don't want to seem pushy but he will only give me one or two word responses. I was supposed to get the tattoo done recently and I told him I wanted to meet with him in person and he would never give me a time to go see him he wouldn't even read the message so I'm like it's okay I'll just ask him for the image he finally has ready for me. I asked him if he had the image ready because I don't want to come in not knowing what I'm getting exactly plus It would save a lot of time so he doesn't have to sketch anything in person .apparently he didn't have anything done and his excuse was is that he was having troubles I get it we're all human beings and such but if you're promising something especially in your profession no matter what's going on in life you got to follow through with your word and whatever is going on leave it outside of your work environment because it's going to affect you in it. Justin needs to learn a communicate more with his clients and needs to know how to prioritize them .me and a couple of others that have spoken to about this went through the exact same thing either he never messaged them back or he give away their spots for someone that was basically paying more . I feel that Justin needs to remember where he comes from and the struggles he's gone through to get where he is today sometimes considering the customer and clients it's what's going to make it increase not asking for people to have recommendation from other artists in order to get tatted by him what kind of way of running your business is that that you're only doing it if another artist says you should do it for them if you really want to grow you will take on anybody that comes your way and not worry about the price on it as much I hope you learn from this experience because I am very unsatisfied client and I will never look n your direction ever again. I would post images of her conversation so people can see what I meant but I think this is more than enough good riddance. read more

Went here to get 2 midsized tattoos and was quoted upwards of $1100 total (both of which were just lineart with no shading or color), which I agreed to (mistake on my part), expecting the quality to be perfect since they were charging so much. Everything was going great until the first tattoo was finished and I noticed it had numerous mistakes which I was later told can't be fixed without removal. The second one also didn't end up looking like I expected with not much attention to little details and the lineart being way too thick for the art I wanted, and they said it didn't need fixing despite me feeling otherwise. Both tattoos I got were fairly detailed so I definitely would not recommend going here if you're looking for detailed tattoos. Pretty disappointed considering how much I paid. read more