***This review is regarding Eddie, not any other artist at this shop*** My experience with Eddie was an absolute disaster. I don't wish this on anyone. I've finally cut ties and found someone willing to finish my piece, but the money, stress and anxiety took a toll. After my consultation, I was quoted $3,600, paid a $400 deposit and booked my two back-to-back sessions. The first day, I fell in love with the stencil (see attached) and he tattooed what was supposed to be the first half, sent me home with the remaining stencil still on my arm (uncovered) and said "just don't shower or rub up on anything too hard and I'll see you tomorrow". When I got there the next day, he spent two hours trying to line the stencil back up, couldn't do it and told me I would now need to wait two weeks for it to heal, then come back. Over the next three months, he cancelled on me SIX TIMES. Twice because he double booked himself and the other times were all for ridiculous reasons like not having Wi-Fi The other attached pic shows the first half of the tattoo that I paid his shop over $4,000 for that he didn't appear able to complete (the area inside the red was already done by another artist before I ever met Eddie). That doesn't include over $1,000 in missed wages and parking for all of the days I drove over an hour to the shop only to be turned away and sent home. Once I finally cut ties with his shop, I was in over $5,000 for this tattoo. The only way this ended happily for me was to walk away from Eddie (and my $5,000). Thankfully, I was able to find another artist to finish my tattoo and I'm in love with how it turned out. This is the first negative review I've ever written, but if it saves even one person from the turmoil I've been through and/or losing the amount of money I've thrown at this guy, it's worth it. read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - The original stencil - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

clean shop with friendly artists! came in at 10pm and was helped immediately. I would definitely recommend read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Red flag. But I fell for it :/ Male artist who I forgot his name told me I had to do a deposit cash. So I walked my broke ass to the ATM to get 500 bucks Gave it to the dude Didn't see him put anything on a computer or anywhere I thought it was like a one week or less time if wait Now I am 500 dollars short No tattoo No folio No confirmation number or whatever Anyways I hope he lost the money somewhere Peace out idiots! Ps I know it's my fault I gave him deposit Living and learning F this dude! read more

Had a spontaneous trip to Seattle so wanted to get a spontaneous meaningless tattoo to remember. I went to starbucks reserve and saw this little shop right across the street, takes walk-ins which was literally the sign to get one. Waited maybe 45 minutes and till it was my turn, had it done within 30 minutes which was super quick. I had danni as my tattoo artist and she's literally the best. Super sweet and friendly!! c: I showed her a reference photo and she gave me something she can up with and absolutely loved it. The little heart details and everything. Love her, definitely recommend her if you decide to stop by! read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Done by Danni - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This shop will tell you they're booked out 6 months and ask for 300$ deposit and then tell you that your dates are wrong for the appointment and keep your money. They over charge for their mediocre tattoos. Safe yourself some money don't go there. read more

If a zero star review were possible that's what this would be. Posting as a former "employee" in regards to eddie the owner. All the artists I worked with in 2018 were amazing with exception of Eddie. Working here was by far the most detrimental and negative experience I've had in the professional realm. I was "hired on" (never put on payroll) as a receptionist but was made to break down stations, go fetch dinner, make appointments, shoo away sketchy individuals, clean, and anything else he deemed worthy of the shop slave he made me into. Eddie is a self aware scam artist, sexual harassment aficionado, and overall terrible human. A two year waitlist. $500 deposits just to be put in a cancellation list. Told clients a set price after the tattoo and then having me charge them 3-6x the price he told the client. He's admitted in undocumented conversation that he knows and doesn't care about doing any of these things and shows no intention of changing. My personal experience and interactions with him were abusive in all sense of the word. He tried to cut my hair, berated me for not knowing what to do despite him never taking the time to train me, had me handle biohazard. He even goes as far to sexually harass CUSTOMERS, artists and employees both verbally or physically. If you care about tattoo artists and the culture of the industry I encourage you to search elsewhere for your tattoo needs. read more

I got a Tattoo done by Jasmine, at Black Sparrow. It was a a great experience through the entire process of discussing and developing what I wanted, a Kurt Kobain remembrance tattoo, to the finished product. She advised various different designs, with true professionalism and with the utmost care! She informed me of how to take care of the tattoo in the future as well. The finished product, I was absolutely impressed with the detail and how clean the tattoo looked, it was better than what I envisioned. She made sure to take time to meet my needs and wants while also providing any recommendations and suggestions. I would highly recommend her and Black Sparrow tattoo shop. read more

I have gotten 2 of my tattoos from Andre's at shop and he never disappoints! The service is amazing, the work is beautifully done and pricing int bad at all. I will definitely be back for my 3rd, 4th and 5th tattoo from this shop. read more

Jasmine is one of my favorite tattoo artists ever. She has done 7 of my tattoos over the last couple years and I've always been happy with the outcome of them. Will definitely get another one soon read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Roses collar bone tattoos - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

I got a rib tattoo from Andres at Black Sparrow this past weekend. I had no issues throughout the entire process from booking the appointment, to actually getting the tattoo. I like the overall quality of the tattoo & I appreciate the input Andres suggested. If you're going for a tattoo w/ writing I can definitely recommend getting one from Andres. The price wasn't that bad either! read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Rib Tattoo w/ Andres at Black Sparrow Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Called to ask about getting tattoo pricing and the receptionist hung up on me. After looking at the other reviews on Google and Yelp I'll be looking elsewhere read more

Danni was such an awesome artist. My cousin and I got matching finger tattoos and they turned out great. A lot of parlors wouldn't accept us because finger tattoos don't last long but Danni explained everything very well and made us feel comfortable during our experience. Will definitely go back if I'm in the Seattle area again. read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Finger Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Do not give them the $500 deposit because 9/10 you won't even get a booking. Eddie Martinez pockets money from people and doesn't pay his workers correctly. I saw a roach fly off of eddies bald head. STAY AWAY!!!!! read more

My boyfriend and I came here to get our first tattoo. Eddie did our tattoos and he was very nice, helpful, and professional. His art is very good. I highly recommend coming here. read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - . - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

They advertise that walk-ins are welcome, so since I couldn't get a hold of them via email or phone, I decided to drop by. Or so I tried. They have a huge "open" sign in front. I attempt to walk in, and the door is locked. There were at least 5-6 staff members inside just staring at me like I'm a zoo animal. Mind you, it's starting to rain, and I can't feel my fingers. Some woman comes out and takes my info, stating that she'll give me a call. I stay in the area for hours to keep close. Did anyone call me? Of course not. They might have talented artists and whatnot, but their elitist attitude and poor customer service overshadow any positive aspects of the place. Go elsewhere because they make you feel unwanted. Maybe I caught them on a bad day or maybe they're racist or maybe they just didn't need my business, but it seems like other yelpers have had issues with them, too. Girl, bye. read more

Absolutely the best tat shop you can go to. If you're lucky enough to get one from Eddie Martinez than book him. Otherwise, his shop is clean and his artists can get whatever you want done. Very much impressed by Eddie's shop. It's clean, the artists can draw up what you want and give you what you need. Don't go to the Butcher shops close by. You'll thank me. read more

See all

Scheduling was very easy - the shop is very quick with emails and calls. Got a tattoo by Nick, it was perfect! The tattoo came out lovely and vibrant, much better than the reference pics I sent. He is very gentle and it was the least painful tattoo experience I've had (shit still hurted tho) - highly recommend him, he's tony the tiger great. I will be back! read more

If you intend to get a realistic tattoo in this place with Eddie, BEWARE. I've done 2 with him, so I know what I'm talking about; my first one I did 3 years ago is ok, but it's all faded, I have no experience in tattoo ink quality but I think the ink quality is not good, I say this because I got another realistic tattoo in the same year and it didn't fade nothing but my second tattoo, my experience was terrible, he as owner and being the main tattoo artist DOES NOT respect you much less respect your time during the session, he stops many, many times during the session to talk to other potentials his clients and friends, which makes you waste a lot of time from your session, so he charges you more to finish your tattoo. Thank God I found another realistic tattoo in Seattle that finished my second tattoo as I didn't want to pay even 1 dollar more just because he was talking. If you already have an appointment with him, make a contract so you don't have any unpleasant surprises. There are other realistic tattooists in Seattle but with better ink quality and respect your time. Think carefully. There is a much better agenda. read more

Had a very easy and nice experience with Jasmin. She was quick, clean and was fun to talk to. I came in around 9 pm as a walk in and called me back to come in around 11 pm. I couldn't believe they were open till 12 (I'm not a city girl so this may be normal?) and she had such a great attitude even that late in the night. In general, the whole staff was helpful and I went in feeling super confident! read more

Not professional at all!! Eddie was rude the whole time since the consultation. After a long waiting to the appointment Eddie didn't show up to get my tattoo done after I changed all of my work schedule and took my days off. Him and his receptionist lied to me saying that they left me a voicemail day before which my voicemail hasn't been even set up. Where I asked for my money back he gave me a hard time and barely wanted to give me my money back (without me getting any service). Maybe they know about tattoos but nothing about customer service and business practices! read more

Worst place in Seattle. Waited over a year for nothing. Deposit never refunded. Try different places.

I got a tattoo from jasmine! I had a amazing experience she made me feel comfortable & her work is perfection. I only go to her and have recommended all my friends as well & they have only had great things to say as well. Plus she's beautiful & funny! Love her! read more

I contacted this shop to do a portrait of my son after he passed away. They took a deposit and were able to get me an 2 day appointment a couple months out. They called prior to appointment to let me know that the artist, Eddie Martinez, has to leave town for a family emergency. They rescheduled me for a 1 day appointment about 6 months later. I called the shop 2 weeks prior to my appt. And asked for an estimate of my total cost. The woman told me it would be $1500. I got a call from them 5 days before appointment starting that they couldn't find the picture of my son and to let me know that Eddie didn't think our friday appointment would be enough time. They asked me to come in Tuesday and Wednesday instead. When I arrived Eddie showed me the sketch and told me that if there was anything I wanted to changeto let him know. I did mention that the light source seemed a little off to me (the sun was shining from below the mountain) He dismissed it saying that that he had intentional done that for the light source to hit my sons face from the right direction. You can look at the attached picture of sketch and judge for yourself. I said great, let's do it. At the end of the day eddie had several people in the shop waiting for consult appointments. He asked me to wait a few minutes so he could take a picture of the tattoo and went to handle these clients. He spent over 45 minutes doing that and then came back to me to take pictures, which took about 1 minute. While he was doing that I said hey Eddie, I heard you taking to that person and you said that you charge 1500 per day. I was not given that information at my consult, yes, I should have asked. I let him know that I had only the 1500 that they had told me it would cost when I called and asked for total. I asked if i could reschedule the next days sitting as I could come up with the other 1500 but it might take me a week. Eddie got really upset and acted like I was trying to steal from him. He denied that the front desk had miss-quoted me, even though I heard him reprimanding the same staff member for the same thing while I was sitting. He said "this is America and when you go to the grocery store you pay for what is in your cart when you leave the store. What don't you understand about that?" I responded that I would not put something in my cart if i didn't know the price and if I got to the register and it was double the marked price, I would put it back. He could not see my perspective. I paid for the one day and left. He avoided my calls for over a week and when I finally got a hold of him he stated that he was no longer interested in working with me. 1 year later and I still have 1/2 of my sons face on my arm. No one wants to finish another person's portrait. I don't need to go in to detail about all of unproffesionalism I witnessed that day but I can tell you with confidence that Eddie does good portraits but he has no respect for his clients or his employees. I don't know if it hurt is ego that i mentioned the light source, but a customer should be able to feel comfortable discussing the details of a piece that they will be wearing for the rest of their life. Eddie has zero compassion or professionalism. I would advise you to avoid this shop. read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - This is the portion of the tattoo that has yet to be completed. I am including this to show the light source issue. - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Estábamos muy emocionadas de hacernos un tatuaje e inclusive la recepcionista fue muy amable, sin embargo el tatuador Abel llegó con una actitud pésima, grosera y gracias a eso mi hermana no quiso seguir con tu tatuaje, ¿Como puedes tener la confianza de tatuarte con alguien que no te deja ni escoger el lugar o te dice "ahí la puedo cagar?, decepcionante. -ENGLISH- We were very excited to get a tattoo and even more when the receptionist was very nice with us, however the tattoo artist Abel arrived with a terrible attitude, rude and thanks to that my sister did not want to continue with your tattoo, how can you have the confidence to get a tattoo with someone who does not even let you choose the place or tells you "I can f**** it up there", disappointing. read more

I came in for a walk in appt, put down a deposit and then she told me that I had to wait three hours, I came back even earlier than they told me to my surprise they weren't able to fit me in, because he "needed a break" don't promise and take a deposit if you aren't going to do the appt. We give numbers for a reason so we would get a call when things like that happen, especially for someone not living too close to the tattoo parlor read more

Got two small pieces from Jordan and he did a fantastic job. Super happy with it and would highly recommend getting a tattoo from him. He is focused and diligent about his work and provided a very fun vibe for me and my BF to get a matching set of small tattoos. Thank you, Jordan! read more

Went here with a friend for a simple tattoo. Artist botched it royally. The owner, Eddie, promised to make it right. Here we are nearly a year later and I've been given nothing but the run around. Promises made and broken left and right. Buyer beware. I would not recommend this studio to anyone. You'll carry around their mistakes for the rest of your life. Or until you pay a real artist to cover up the disaster. read more

Indira did two tattoos for me and they turned out AMAZING. I am so happy with her work and professionalism and she's incredibly personable which always makes getting painful work done much more pleasant. Her desire to get it just right for you while still giving her opinion or flair is perfectly appreciated. If you want a highly detailed piece no matter how big or small - she's fantastic and will nail it. read more

update: eddie saw this review called me and also messaged me on IG asking for me to take this down. He admitted to saying women tip him in the back, but states he never asked that of me. I told him it made me uncomfortable and he didn't appologize- just stated "i never asked that of you", so I have blocked him on all social media & via phone- dealing with backlash/my phone blowing up, is something i really hate. We were alone in the shop, after 8-10hrs. He brought up how others tip him, i quickly said "no & what about your wife?", he said "i work long hours and have a room in the back". We moved on, but it made me uncomfortable and i tried to brush it off. It continued to make me frustrated a man would bring this up while alone with me, it felt like a proposition. I'll let you make your own judgment of what it was. I've talked with a small handful of other tattoo artists before posting this review and they have heard similar stories from other women. so maybe my anxiety can help someone else, maybe I'm crazy. you be the judge. read more

Outstanding shop, with exceptionally professional employees. The space is very clean, with bright lighting, and the atmosphere is inviting. Eddie, the owner, has obvious pride in his profession, and Carlos does amazing work as you can see. They are detail oriented, and don't start work until the design is perfect. Thank you! read more

The receptionist at Black Sparrow was super sweet and accommodating when my friend and I walked in without an appointment and we both got inked within an hour. However, I did not expect to pay $100 for a tattoo that looks like this :/ It was supposed to be a simple, small tattoo. Hard to mess up. But this tattoo is asymmetrical and the dots are different sizes when they should be uniform in size. I will be going to a different tattoo parlor to fix and re-touch my tattoo. read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - my sadly asymmetrical tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I came into the tattoo shop to get my mom's handwriting on me a few days ago. I finally took off the adhesive today and noticed that my mom's message wasn't tattooed on me the way it was written. I'm angry at myself for not looking at it closer in the shop and for tipping because I thought it was done right. This may seem trivial to some but it defeated the purpose of my tattoo which was to have an exact replica of my mom's handwriting & message. It's a flaw I notice too much now, unfortunately. I find it very surprising that it turned out the way it did considering the tattoo artist made a copy of the message, placed it on me and only needed to trace it from there. Expected this to be an easy tattoo but apparently not to my dismay. I wish I could rate the place higher considering it was one of the cleanest tattoo shops I've been in, allowed walk-ins and generally friendly staff. read more

See all

Loved this place! The interior and the tattoo artist/lady at front were both really nice. We did a walk in and I got an 8 ball tattoo, came out great :D would definitely come in again for future tattoos. Idk the artists name but he had a tattoo on his forehead, really cool dude! read more

I originally came here to see Eddie - a friend referred him to me a few years ago when he was at Under the Needle Tattoo but he opened his own shop so I followed. This brightly lit, clean, modern looking shop is located right across the street from the Starbucks Roastery in Seattle, so if you're a coffee lover like I am, it's a great place to visit while waiting to your appointment if you arrive too early to beat traffic (like I did). As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by everyone as if they've known you longer than the five minutes you've interacted with them. It's comforting, especially if it's your first tattoo (like mine). Now the tattoo itself.. If you guys want a QUALITY tattoo, come see Eddie and/or Carlos. And book in advance. Luckily I got an appointment within a week, but you may wait months. Upon arriving, I expected Eddie to ink me but he was booked out a year, so he scheduled me for Carlos. That made me nervous because I hadn't seen his work, but Carlos stepped up and really pulled through. Clean and precise. Couldn't be happier. My only complaint: Carlos did not give very thorough post-ink instructions. He handed me a slip of paper, gave me a free sample of "Hustle Butter" because it was my first tattoo, and told me to call if I had questions. Otherwise, it was a great experience. read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Forearm lion tattoo done by Carlos. - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Walked in spare of the moment late Saturday night. Didn't really expect to get in but I did. All who we talked too in the shop were friendly and helpful. They had 4 tables buzzing away. Hunter spent probably 90 minutes just on his stencil and aligning it on my arm. Apparently bands are pretty difficult - I saw that! However, Hunter was patient and took his time. While we were there late, Hunter stayed until he was done without complaint. The photos attached don't do the tattoo justice. The attention to detail even for something seemingly simple, was done well. Mahalo Hunter! read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

One of two tattoo shops open in Seattle on a Monday. I walked in with 3 other girls as walk-ins and they accommodated us within about 30! It was the perfect environment for my first tattoo with a knowledgeable, kind, and fun staff! Price was more than reasonable and shop was extremely cleanly. Hunter did AMAZING and I'm in love with my tattoo! I hope to be back soon! read more

Black Sparrow Tattoo - Tattoos - Tattoo Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Wanted to see if they could squeeze me in on a busy Saturday. Was expecting a harsh no but from the intial call I was answered by a Receptionist with top level customer service who told me they'd be happy to accommodate me! When I finally made it in I was greeted with nothing but warm smiles by all the staff. Vera - my Artist, was Extremely friendly and patient with my somewhat Indecisiveness. She drew me up something I absolutely loved and was able to give a gentle touch that made getting the Tattoo Down-Right Enjoyable. Super pleased with the work I was given and the Experience as a Whole. Thank you Black Sparrow! read more

The service was great. They were able to get some scheduled for a quick micro tattoo because it was my birthday! They were very clean and hygienic. This is by far the best tattoo parlor--aesthetic read more

I really can't say enough good things about my experiences here. I've had three tattoos done here and brought two different friends to get work done as well. The shop is very clean, warm, inviting and just all around feels really nice to be in. The artists are professional, thoughtful, careful and prompt. They welcome walk-ins, listen to you and communicate all along the way. Shout out to owner Eddie and artist Ben, making getting tattooed a very fun experience! If you're getting your first or one of many tattoos, I'd highly recommend this shop! read more

Great if you want exactly what Eddie wants to put on you. If you want something else he will argue with you and charge you for the day even without putting a single drop of ink in your skin. He also cancelled on the day of the tattoo because he "forgot it was his birthday". Asked for a D-Day tattoo from the viewpoint of rangers landing on the beach. Sent him tons of references and a basic layout that I wanted. Wanted it just along the top of my shoulders. Show up and he has two nazis standing on a cliff. For my whole back. Tell him that's not what I want and he moans and claims we'll have to reschedule so he can draw up a whole new design and charge me for the day. I have been tattooed all over the world and this is my worst experience yet. read more