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    Big Fish Tattoo

    4.9 (172 reviews)
    ModerateTattoo, Piercing
    Open 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM

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    Services - Big Fish Tattoo

    Tattooing

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    Recommended Reviews - Big Fish Tattoo

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    Reviews With Photos

    Palm tree with wave
    Louie Vic L.

    5 Stars - Great Experience at Big Fish Tattoo! My wife and I were visiting San Diego from Sacramento for a short getaway--just beaches, good food, and some spontaneity. On a whim, we decided to get tattoos. After trying several shops, we were lucky to find Big Fish Tattoo, which was open and accepting walk-ins. From the moment we walked in, the staff was super friendly and welcoming. They gave us plenty of time to choose our designs and even offered great recommendations. I got a palm tree with waves by Sasha, and my wife got a rose by Hannah--both artists were incredibly professional and talented. The whole process was smooth, and they made sure we understood the aftercare instructions before we left. If you're looking for a solid tattoo shop in San Diego with skilled artists and a great atmosphere, I highly recommend Big Fish Tattoo! We'll definitely be stopping by again the next time we're in town.

    Nina S.

    Big Fish is a fantastic place to get inked -- clean, well organized interior with great art, and knowledgable artists who are experts at their craft. I had the immense privilege of being tattooed by Mariana. She drew out exactly what I wanted from a few inspo photos and even experimented with different sizes and placements before making sure I was 100% sure of everything. Mariana is a true artist and I get so many compliments on my tattoo.

    Melissa S.

    Hannah at Big Fish Tattoo was absolutely amazing to work with. She was professional, patient, and brought her creativity to design the most epic piece honoring someone I recently lost. Thanks to her talent, I can now carry that love and memory with me through ink. Hannah is responsive, personable, and honest. I already have my next tattoo ready to schedule with her. Everyone at Big Fish Tattoo is incredibly talented and has created a warm, clean, and professional environment. Highly recommend!

    I came in as a walk in and damiani did amazinggg!!! He walked through the whole process and was super informative. The detail in his work is also amazing. This was nerve racking especially because it was my biggest piece yet, but everyone who was there was so supportive and helpful! I definitely recommend this place! Can't wait for my next session!

    Custom designed candle tattoo
    Jessy K.

    Where do I even begin? I've gotten a few tattoos now with Marianne and she's honestly incredible. She's talented, communicative, and extremely professional and it seems like each new tattoo I get from her I love more than the last. Not only is Marianne a precise and confident tattooer, but she is also really good at making you feel welcomed and at home at the Big Fish studio. Whether you're a seasoned pro at sitting in the hot seat or if you're nervous about getting your first tattoo, Marianne makes you feel comfortable. She's an amazing listener and pivots creatively with your own ideas and does an excellent job of designing tattoos that are exactly what you imagined (and more)! I'll certainly be back for more and recommend Marianne's work for anyone who's interested in having a beautiful piece of art on their body forever.

    .

    My first tattoo. I figured, go big or go home. Dave Hartman, my artist did a great job on my shoulder and arm. I wanted an octopus. He freehanded the drawing and then got to work. The staff was so nice and everyone encouraged each other and seemed to work as a team. Very cool vibe in the shop. Great music too!

    They were so great! Walked in expecting just to book an appointment but Damiani was available right away to work with me. He did a great job of replicating my mother's handwriting sample and made sure I was happy with the design. Easy and painless process, very lovely treatment - a GREAT experience. Can't wait for him to do my next tattoo.

    Levi's AMAZING
    Marina B.

    Levi is absolutely amazing. Quick and "painless" My man got a cover up tattoo and I got this gorgeous feline!

    Amy W.

    A few months ago I was ready to pull the trigger on my next tattoo so an in-depth Yelp search was needed. I originally sent an inquiry to one shop and heard back from several others during the process, one of which was Big Fish Tattoo, and simply based off the responses received, I knew this was the shop for me. Located right on Highway 101, both times I've visited, I was able to find street parking {with 2 free hours} immediately and without struggle. I was drawn to Big Fish as it's super clean and well maintained, which was very important to me in a tattoo shop. The customer service from each of the team members I've interacted with has been nothing short of stellar and they each made me feel welcomed right away. Enter Cassie {my tattoo artist}.. she is Ah-Mazing! From the moment I emailed her my design, she understood exactly what I was looking for and even had several size options available when I arrived for my appointment. I let her know that I was a little nervous as I hadn't gotten a new tattoo in years, but her joyful, comforting and outgoing personality put me at ease immediately and I felt as if I've known her for years. Her work is absolutely wonderful and the at-home care tips she provided were perfect for the first few weeks of care. I even booked another appointment for the next tattoo a few weeks after the original.. and already thinking about my next. Looking for a new tattoo and want a personal and welcoming experience.. Check out Big Fish Tattoo and go see Cassie! You will not be disappointed!

    The aftermath - so much better!!

    Cant say enough good things about Dave and the entire shop! I came in to get a 15 year old tattoo touched up (originally from another shop). Dave brought this tattoo back to life! I was there for about 4 hours and needless to say I was in a good amount of pain (I'm admittedly a baby but this tattoo is also on my ribs so ouch). Dave and the rest of the staff were so kind and kept telling me I was a champ. They were all so sweet and made me feel so comfortable. Dave added so much color and detail, I am thrilled with how it turned out! Thank you, Dave!!!

    Damiani's work

    Damiani is the best! He is always excited to bring your vision to life and create amazing pieces. He's all about perfecting the process, from making sure the piece flows well in your desired spot to checking in on you throughout the process. I also really enjoy the vibe of Big Fish tattoo. It's a large studio in a great location right by the water. Can't wait to get another piece there!

    Death moth by Levi

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    4 months ago

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    3 years ago

    Super clean, friendly, and quick! Came right back with my husband for his first, and he was really happy!

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    Thank you for the feedback! We can’t wait to see you both next time :)

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Loved this tattoo spot! I was a walk in!Front desk super friendly and Evan was great artist and super nice guy. Highly recommend!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Big Fish Tattoo

    What is the shop minimum for a tattoo?

    Hi Allie, yes our shop minimum is $100

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Big Fish Tattoo

    Dave and the rest of the staff were so kind and kept telling me I was a champ.

    Mentioned in 61 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    We had Lily as our person for our teen. She was so friendly, professional and easy to communicate…read morewith. We love that she let our group into the private room and she gave our other child a lollipop - a cute touch and kept her busy. This was the highlight of our experience, working with her. We were a walk in so that experience was a little overwhelming at first; having 2-3 people greet us, sign waivers and verbally explain the pricing to us. There was one main person that was just running through everything so quickly that I just couldn't register everything they were saying. I think it would be nice to have a visual price list to look at for our own pace while we make a decision. It felt pressured and rushed. But once we were actually taken care of by Lily and one other person, it didn't feel as overwhelming. Overall aside from the first part of the experience, it was fantastic. Our teen felt comfortable with Lily and it went so smoothly!

    I went to piercing 101 today & I had an amazing experience. I was checked in as a walk-in and I…read moreonly had to wait about 30 minutes which I felt was fair-- the staff while I was waiting, let me pick out which size I would like and I was kind of unsure because I didn't know if I wanted small or big and they were very kind and helping me figure out which size I would like. My piercer was named Lily and she was very kind. She could tell again that I was unsure of which size I wanted and put each size up to my nose and was very patient in letting me decide. She was very nice and soft spoken and did a really good job with my piercing and I'm very satisfied. She was very thorough and explaining the directions of the aftercare with my piercing. Overall, this was definitely a really nice experience. My little sister got her earrings changed out and they were so kind. She is only nine years old. They are very patient and she was very scared but they did a really good job. Definitely recommend coming here!

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    White Gold & Diamond collection from BVLA at 101 Piercing

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    Enigma Professional Piercing Studio

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    4.5(757 reviews)
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    I was actually sent to Enigma through another amazing piercing shop-- specifically because of the…read moretype of piercing I was requesting (triangle piercing). I'm truly grateful for such a kind and professional redirection-- because the piercing is an uncommon request and very anatomy dependent. I'm really glad my piercer at Enigma, Didier, was able to take their time to not only perform it, but also communicate what he was looking for to be able to do so successfully. Didier talked me through appropriate anatomy requirements for it, gave me a mirror to show how he'd like to position the piercing ideally, discussed jewelery options/possible adjustments to the bar to accommodate healing he'd like to do (if needed), and even mentioned common issues he'd like to avoid that are run into when piercers try to manipulate the area and how such can make the piercing difficult to do/accomplish appropriately. He also thoughtfully kept checking in with me while he was making preparations (sterilizing, PPE, etc.) to make sure to answer any questions and ease any feelings of anxiety. I would absolutely recommend Didier if you're considering a piercing-- he's really knowledgeable and I felt very secure that I made the right decision coming to Enigma because of him.

    Brought my daughter here for her first piercings. We had an appointment with Franceska and she was…read moreso amazing with my daughter. She explained the full process to her as it was happening to help ease her anxiety. The place was clean and very relaxing. The two ladies who helped us check in were also super sweet with my kid and answered all of her questions regarding the piercings and options. I saw that maybe the biggest complaint was the price, honestly, while it was pricey, it was worth it. I know we got a quality product, highly hiegenic, and well done (by a professional). I am looking forward to returning in the near future.

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    Enigma Professional Piercing Studio
    Enigma Professional Piercing Studio

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    Big Fish Tattoo - tattoo - Updated May 2026

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