My friend and I came in for a walk-in tattoo as we make it tradition anytime he visits we get a tattoo together. I got paired up with Jodie. She was super nice and friendly, showed me her line work as I was interested in getting an American Traditional rose in color to be similar to the one I have in black and grey on my right leg. Jodie took her time to make sure all the shading and coloring was filled in right. She also changed up the leaves she had originally on her line drawing of the rose. I loved what it ended up looking like, and will definitely come back for more of her stuff she has! read more

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Great vibe walking in. I walked in 2 shops before this before deciding. Turns out they bee OG for the last 30 years. Professionals working there trying to be there best. I got tattoo by Francesco. I think they specialize in jap traditional but I did a black tat on my triceps. Would recommend read more

Bolder Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Let me start by saying Aaron is definitely a nice guy. Friendly, not rude. But.... I called and asked if Bolder Ink was taking walk-in tattoos, and they said yes. We showed up and he turned down our ideas, saying they would take too much time. Okay, fair enough. My girlfriend wanted the word "Groovy" on her butt in a 70's bubble letter font and Aaron said it couldn't be done due to size. Again, fair enough, but he did a more intricate font instead? Not sure how that works. She also asked him to omit the sparkles and flourish but he still put the flourish in after being asked to only do the lettering, and the lettering is crooked and squiggly. Hard to tell how it's going to turn out when the stencil looks okay and you can't see the area being tattooed. I asked for simple linework on my forearm and he said it couldn't be done due to size but then he did a very detailed tattoo even smaller? Weird. The whole time we felt rushed, like we were annoying the staff by being there even though we called ahead. All in all, my tattoo (third choice of ideas after my first two were shot down) is okay. My girlfriend and I are very disappointed in her tattoo to say the least. We still paid full price and tipped way more than we should have. Lesson learned: come back another day or find another shop if they're not willing to do what you want. read more

Bolder Ink - A sub par tattoo for $140 - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

My fiancé and I went in for tattoos while in the area for a wedding. We had Francesca and loved her! She was quick with the sketches and was honest with us about edits and what was realistic. The tree took about 35 mins and the Pokémon took about 25 mins. We had called the day before, emailed pics of what we wanted, and put a deposit down that day to reserve our appointment time for the next day. The atmosphere of the shop was welcoming and friendly. read more

Came in for anniversary tattoos. It was actually a surprise from the lady so to say Aaron was patient is an understatement. Nice conversation and great work. Can't wait to come back for a touch up on an old tattoo. Thanks, Aaron! -Jess and Aly read more

Called and spoke with Aaron at this shop who advised they had space for our walk ins for the day. Arrived at 1pm and left within 10 minutes after he was rude to our group. Turning down every tattoo we brought to him as an idea. Overall staff was rude beyond measure and it was a bad customer service experience. read more

The best tattoo shop in America. I've been to quite a few and Bolder Ink is the best of the best. Traveled from Phoenix to get tattoos with my friend and Lance made it the best experience. His work is phenomenal, has decades of experience, and is a true artist. I will continue to fly back to Boulder for my tattoos and will forever recommend this spot. read more

First, I have never written a Yelp review. That's where I'm at. I was happy here, until I went in for a hand tattoo, knowing full well what I was getting myself into, and the artist just laughed at me. He said he wasn't willing to do the tattoo because the design didn't mean anything. Or maybe he said he didn't have the skills to do hand tattoos very well so he wasn't willing..? Unsure. Either way, so rude. So ridiculous. So never going back. I was with a friend and I was completely embarrassed. Get with it Bolder Ink. You guys should help the world, not judge it and hurt it. Again, I won't be going back. None of my friends will. No one I know ever will go there. Bye forever. Not to mention, the receptionist is condescending. You should work on that too. Later haters. read more

When you decide to permanently mark you body, it's best to do it right the first time. In my opinion, you'll get a quality tattoo from any of the artists at Bolder Ink. The shop is clean and the staff make you feel comfortable. On top of that, most (if not all) of the artist have gone to art school, so they have a deep understanding and appreciation for art on a broad level. I had my first two tattoos done at Bolder Ink (by Darren Hall), and my wife had hers done there as well (by Scott Bakos, who is now in Philadelphia, I believe) . Even after moving from Colorado to Wisconsin, I made a trip back to Colorado to have more work done by Darren. There's just a level of quality that is hard to find elsewhere. And again, when you're dealing with something as permanent as a tattoo, you want the peace of mind that you'll be marked with quality artwork. read more

Bolder Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Joel is quirky, but a great artist with good taste in music, too. I hear he's the best for traditional Japanese art, and his work is displayed all over the studio. Mijo finished up my half sleeve, which he started with his original deisgn to complete an old tattoo design, and re-did the original old, faded part, making it look brand new again. The studio is cool, clean, and the new, quiet color/shading tattoo machines are amazing - I could barely even feel it. Thanks! Picture added. read more

Bolder Ink - Mijo's work at Boulder Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

My updated review: Friendly staff, and I've seen Dave for my latest tattoo (and complimentary touch-up, of course). He's talented, hot looking ;), and an interesting individual... into MANY things and fun to talk to! (If you can talk w/out moving. hehe) It's been many years and I still go here for my ink. Six (6) tats, sometime to be seven (7). Dave and I have talked about what... just need the money... which means a J.O.B. ARGH!!! P.S. See my pic posted of my latest ink... the guardian angel. read more

Bolder Ink - Guardian Angel - Bolder Ink 2011. (before touch-up) Thanks, Dave, Thanks for calling me in for a touch-up. You rock! - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I've had two tattoos done at Bolder Ink, both by Pee Wee. One was a black and white image, another was script. Pee Wee is a fantastic artist, and I appreciate that he tells me, with no BS, what he believes will work and what won't for each piece. He is an artist in a true sense--he has strong opinions about how art should be created, viewed, and experienced. Sometimes this may come off as brusque or rude to others, but I personally appreciated his insight. For one of my tattoos there, my brother had his tattoo done at Bolder Ink as well (a sibling bonding thing for us). He is still, years later, very happy with the artwork and the coloring. I have had tattoos done at other places as well (The Chameleon, now out of business, in Longmont, and Scarred for Life in Boulder). In both cases, I was pleased with the professionalism of the staff and artists I worked with--however, I have not found another tattoo studio that has matched Bolder Ink for artistry. Bolder Ink is also sanitary and affordable. Sometimes the staff/artists may be a little curt or surly (I have heard that they are not as friendly with males as with females), but they are true artists who care about their art. When I get inked again in the future, Bolder Ink is where I'm headed! read more

Bolder Ink - B&W shoulder tattoo by Pee Wee - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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This shop is wonderful! I went in with specific demands and was sent to Brian who is now the only person I want to go to. I have been to several tattoo parlors before this and most times it is an in and out (and dissatisfying) experience. In this case, Brian sat with me and made sure I was getting what I wanted. He was incredibly kind and patient; he even offered me a drink or a snack while I was getting tattooed. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and everyone is nice and playful. It is pricey, but I found that the extra money resulted in not only the best tattoo I've gotten, but the best experience I've had as well. Worth it. read more

Bolder Ink - Leg piece in progress - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Joel Long for stunning traditional Japanese tattoo! He is easier to book than most tattoo masters at his level, and he is more considerate of his clients than most masters at his level. I have 140+ hours of tradition Japanese covering my arms legs and chest from 3 great artists. I enjoy getting worked on by Joel the most! Simply the best! And the shop is great, they welcome you in and make sure your comfortable. Highly highly recommend. read more

Never been to a tattoo shop that made me feel like I was completely not a priority what so ever. I was treated so rudely from both the receptionist and especially the artist who said he'd rather not sketch out my tattoo idea if I wasn't going to get it and waste his time. Never did I say I was thinking about getting a tattoo I said I WAS getting a tattoo so it baffles me he wouldn't put any effort. Seems like he was being lazy and treated me like a complete child just because I was 18. Would 100% not go back. read more

Joel did my irezumi sleeve and I cant say enough good things. My sleeve came out better than I could have imagined. He is the most talented, smart, unique tattoo artist I've ever had. Just a cool guy. Fun interaction the whole time and makes it a nice experience. Plus great taste in music!! read more

This summer I took a trip to Colorado and decided that I wanted to get a tattoo while I was there. My sister had gotten her first tattoo a couple years back at Bolder Ink (which is an awesome piece btw), and so I looked into it and found out that it had a reputation for being one of the best studios in Colorado. I wasn't able to have an actual consultation since I was only going to be in Colorado for a week and was pressed on time, but I called them a few times in the week leading up to my appointment and they were really helpful. When I walked in on the day of, I was impressed from the beginning. The environment was really chill and a lot more comfortable than what I was expecting. The guys there were really fun to be around. Pee Wee was my artist, and while he was sketching his design on me, he explained that this place wasn't like what'd you'd see on LA Ink with super bad ass, intimidating artists, but instead that this was a dorky place. The conversations that were going on in the room while Pee Wee was working honestly were really dorky but also really hilarious. They kept me pretty entertained during my two hours of pain. It was also really cool that everyone in the studio would kind of just walk in and out of each room to talk to each other and take a look at what the different artists were working on. One member of the staff that really stood out was CJ because he came in like every half hour to check in and see how I was doing, which was really thoughtful. The only thing that was kind of weird was that I found out that Pee Wee only accepted cash around halfway through my appointment, which kind of caught me off guard because the front window had all the different credit card logos stuck on. Everything ended up fine because I was able to quickly go to an ATM and come back to pay him, but I thought that it should have been made clear to me before he started working on the tattoo. Overall, I absolutely loved the experience, I absolutely love my tattoo, and I would definitely go back here for another tattoo in the future if I end up visiting Colorado again. read more

Bolder Ink - Tattoo by Pee Wee - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I wanted to do a cover piece of a fairly large ankle band, and wanted it in traditional Japanese style to match the subject matter. I looked for an artists for several *years* before finding Joel at Boulder Ink. I was happy not to have to travel to find an artist who's skill and artistic eye are up to my standards (which are so high it's obnoxious). The cover piece is amazing - no one ever realizes that it's cover and I'm not sure that it would be that differen even if it wasn't. He was also a considerate needler, sliding skin away from the extra painful shin and tendon onto the sides of my calf whenever possible. The color and detail have held well, and the music was alway interesting. Highly recommended. Appt. required well in advance. read more

This place has a reputation for being the best tattoo parlor in town, and with good reason. Bolder Ink is clean, professional and their artists are very talented. I got a Clockwork Orange tattoo there, and I was so impressed with the process. First, I had to meet with my tattoo artist to discuss ideas. I showed them some simple (and very, very crude) sketches that I had made and asked them to make them look good. We discussed what this would entail, where on the body it would go, etc. I came back for a second consultation for which the artists had drawn up two designs. I could either pick between the two or request edits. But the one drawing was perfect, and two hours later it was on my arm for the rest of my life. Of all the tattooing experiences I've had, Bolder Ink was the best. read more

Got my first tattoo here, a back piece. Fortunately, my girlfriend was with me, because she pointed out to the artist that two parts of the sample he had put on my back were in no way lined up. He tried a couple more times, but they are now still off center. I was back in Boulder and wanted to get some simple text put onto my thigh because I was coming out of a hard time. The text is common and pretty representative of that. I didn't realize that I was entering close to their closing time, but Aaron was quick to inform me of that. I profusely apologized and showed him want I wanted and said I could set another appointment. He told me that he didn't do tattoos that other people had already done, but we could talk later. IT WAS LITERALLY THREE WORDS I went to another place in Boulder where the artist heard me out, did my tattoo, gave me a huge hug and didn't charge me anything. I of course gave him a huge tip. Bolder Ink has never been as good as they think they are. Let me know if you want a recommendation, because there are a couple places in Boulder County that treat you well and have amazing artists. read more

Lance Talon is a genius!! I would stand his tattoos against anyone. They are truly art. In addition, Lance is very careful about cleanliness and using inks that are non-toxic as Lance has had metals poisoning from bad inks. Finally, Lance is simply a nice guy. None of the bad boy attitude that you might expect from someone running a tattoo studio. Bolder Ink is a special studio that I am grateful to have found. read more

the BEST place to get a tattoo, ever!!! very relaxing and clean studio. darren hall did my tattoo, and it's completely flawless. people stop me all of the time and compliment me!!! i am so glad i went here and got quality work done. thank you, boulder ink!! read more

Bolder Ink - thank you, darren! - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Fantastic business, fantastic experience. Needed a coverup, Mr. Joel Long worked a magical full sleeve. Beautiful tattoo. Very much admire and recommend his amazing artfulness, personality and humor. Also, his painted artwork brilliantly shines! Meeting the staff throughout my sessions, everyone, yes, everyone seemed very talented, passionate, super gracious, and professional. Make an appointment, go here. Priceless, Bolder Ink! read more

I looked at sample pages at a LOT of tattoo parlors before I decided on Bolder Ink. I am paranoid about needle cleanliness and watched tats done at a couple of places as well. I was able to walk in on a weekday and walk out with my small new tattoo. No pressure, no judgement on the older lady getting her very first, very small, tattoo. I still love it, and even after 3 years people comment on the color and think it's freshly-done. If I ever plan another bodyart addition, I will be at Bolder Ink. read more

I got my first ever tattoo and it was an awesome experience. First off, I walked in and they made me an appointment for the same day. Secondly they talked me down because I was insanely nervous. And thirdly the work was beautifully done. I would highly recommend Bolder Ink to anyone and everyone. read more

Bolder Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

7 years ago, I began a career as a Professional Body Piercer. I spent the several of those first years working as a Piercer out of a Tattoo shops. I start with this to observe that I am fully aware of the nature of Tattoo Studios and the environment these business have. In September I relocated to Boulder and began the search for an Artist to continue work on Tattoo projects I had in mind. Out of all of the different places I have been tattooed at across the country, I have never had such an incredible experience as I did at Bolder Ink. Please keep in mind that the multitude of times I have been tattooed have been by friends who I worked with day in and day out, and still nothing compares to how my first tattoo went with the Bolder Ink crew. I cannot recommend this Studio and the Artists working here enough. If you are considering any work, this should be the place to get it done. As a Practitioner of Body Art, this is the only place I would send people to get tattooed. read more

First time to boulder, thought it would be pretty sweet to get a tattoo here, found Boulder ink on yelp & it seemed like a solid place. Called ahead of time & they told me to come on in & we'll figure things out. I got there, consulted with one person then they told me I'll be getting tattooed by someone else, talked with him & he treated me like I didn't know what I was talking about. I have a couple tattoos myself & never once felt uncomfortable about what I wanted, but he made me feel like I was an idiot & didn't consult further on what would be a better option. One thing that threw me off & made me walk out was the other tattoo artists there were talking about the tattoo I was wanting to get & were saying that they could "hopefully talk me out of the tattoo" because he didn't want a "shitty reputation" of what I was getting. They also do overcharge as stated on previous yelp reviews. I went in for 4 words & he wanted to charge me around $160. I understand a lot of time & effort has to go into making sure everything is nice & detailed, but $160 for 4 words is pretty absurd. So with that being said, I left without a tattoo & a shitty experience. read more

My friend and I had a great experience at Bolder Ink. The staff is incredibly friendly and kind. We were greeted by Alan, who was so helpful and such a sweetheart (he even came in to check on me in the middle of the session and told me I handled the pain like a champ). We got in at the same day without any appointment. They are not going to just tattoo anything on you. They will talk to you about what you want, the reality of tattoos, how they're gonna fade, and what they can do so you will have a tattoo that can last and look beautiful for a life time. That is the kind of artist integrity that not every tattoo shop has. Aaron did a great job on both of our tattoos. We gave a few reference pictures to give him, he spent about 20 mins to come up with his own design, and the tattoos ended up looking better than any pictures we pulled from the Internet. read more

I got my tattoo from Lance at Boulder Ink in 1995. The experience was perfect for a first-timer. The shop was pristine, the consultation was personal and I felt well taken care of all way the through. Lance took my vague ideas for little ankle piece and turned it into a gorgeous and powerful flaming lotus flower, connected to a sparkling jewel by free-hand decorative links. I'll never forget at one point, one of the other artists came in to survey the work and laughingly reminded me that I was supposed to breathe. It did hurt! It was worth it though, and 14+ years later the color has only faded slightly and I'm still getting compliments all the time. Thanks! read more

Pee Wee did an absolutely beautiful witch and moon tattoo for me. Love this place! All the artists are so down to earth and SO talented.

Worst tattoo experience I've ever had. I've never been scab'd up so bad in my life. $250 for an hour, black line tattoo...... please go someplace else. I won't even go back for the free touch up that I desperately need. Don't make the same mistake I made with taking the first available appointment they had. "Cash only" should've been a sign to walk out the door. Went for a simple tattoo, Instead I'm left with a scar. read more

I've been tattooed by Joel at Bolder Ink twice now and both times he has created beautiful work that flows with the body and has made me feel at ease during the process. If you want to laugh and have a master tattoo artist work with you, Joel is who you want and Bolder Ink is where you want to go. I never have reservations letting Joel create art with me and I will always go back to him for more. Further, all the guys at Bolder Ink are super nice and very into the art - I truly love this place! read more

I recently went back to Bolder Ink to have Lance continue the work on my 3/4 sleeve and I have nothing but praise and blessings to give to him and his dedicated crew of artists. Bolder Ink has been in business for over 22 years and it shows. They have a long standing staff of committed artists are are very knowledgeable of their craft. Each has a distinct style and will always be willing to give their advise regarding any tattoo questions you might have. I highly recommend them as a shop and if they can't meet your needs, they will send to to other artists in the area who are just as good. If you are looking to make the commitment to permanent ink, I highly recommend going to them for a consult and seeing for yourself the professional atmosphere in a laid back business. I will be heading back in to complete my current 3/4 sleeve and will be on to the other arm soon! Thanks again Bolder Ink for yet another great experience! read more

Bolder Ink - Continued 3/4 sleeve by Lance Talon. I love it! - Tattoo Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Went for my brothers first tattoo, a matching one with his best friend. They were treated rudely by the secretary/scheduler. The man, Allen, insulted my brothers best friends friends tattoo multiple times and informed my brother that they would not replicate the tattoo for him because they were in the business of giving "good" tattoos. Horrible experience. Would highly recommend Rising Tide tattoo instead. read more

First off, any of these negative posts about this place being "mean" goes misunderstood. I never got any vibes of feeling uncomfortable, of any sort. The staff at Boulder Ink was nothing but sweethearts. I have been in many other shops before that were filled with complete douches, this definitely was not one of them. Upon my first consultation, the front man, (CJ) greeted me with a warm welcoming. He then directed me to the artist who could handle my "style" best, Brian. Brian was an awesome guy from the start, made sure he understood what I wanted, and then made the appointment. The actual tattoo experience was superior. Brian made sure I was comfortable with the positions I was being placed in while he went to work. He kept a friendly conversation going the whole time. Mid way through, CJ came in and even asked me if I would like anything from Starbucks, or Jamba Juice. Assholes, right? (sarcasm) The piece came out perfect, I couldn't be anymore happier with how it came out, simply amazing! Anyways, the whole experience was great, and I will definitely be back for many more works. Thanks again guys! read more

I mean, this place is pretty much infamous for being filled with guys who are negative and mean. My tattoo there, specifically, is beautiful, sure. But it was an emotionally violent experience. My artist told my friend who had accompanied me that he wanted to throw her down the stairs and film it. I can't remember if this was before or after he spewed off 4-5 racist remarks about Asian people at the Farmer's Market. All of this happening, of course, while the man has a needle in my wrist. Also- I'm generalizing to the shop in general because his fellow artist buddies laughed along. I thought maybe it was just me, but I have now spoken to multiple other people who have had negative experiences with customer service, but decent tattoos. So, depends what memory you want of the permanent body art. read more

Soo.. I came here to get a simple tattoo, some writing on my ribs. I went in for an initial consultation, met with an artist, who to be quite frank treated me like I didn't know what I was talking about and shut down a lot of my ideas. Nevertheless I put down a $60 deposit for him to draw up some designs and came back 4 days later. He did nothing I asked of him, got my quote totally wrong, and drew me some picture that we never talked about. His artistic skills were mediocre and I left feeling disappointed. Definitely will keep searching for a better tattoo parlor. read more

Preface: This is a review of a single experience with a single artist, everyone else seemed nice. This would have been my fourth tattoo by a fourth artist. We put the normal $100 cash deposit down on a Thursday evening after showing the artist what I wanted and he agreed to an appointment on Saturday morning. When we arrived on on time, 10:30 am (before the store usually opens), PeeWee was there and let us in. He asked to see the drawing again and told us to hang tight for a bit. An hour and a half passed while he drew up a sketch. When he was ready to begin, at 12:00, he decided that the stencil didn't work (and it REALLY didn't) he went back to the drawing board. I went to ask him what he was thinking with the redraw he told me that it had to be larger in order to get the details in. I informed him of the size I was comfortable with and he told me I should trust him. We disagreed about half of an inch. He told me, "Well, if here is ok, then here should be fine." I literally thought he was joking. I decided that he wasn't the artist for me and informed him it wasn't going to work. To which he responded, "Don't be like that, surely you know we should compromise." I thanked him for his time and walked out. PeeWee might be a great artist if you want to work on a creation with him but if you know what you want, I'd recommend making a different choice. And as a reminder, the difference an half an inch, is vaginal and anal. read more

This place is the one to go to if you want to get a custom tattoo from professional, creative and very attentive artists and craftspeople. After doing months of research, I decided to make an appt for a consultation. I spoke to CJ who manages the office and he suggested that Mijo would be the best fit for my tattoo's specifications since I wanted a floral piece with a bit of quote. I set up a consultation with Mijo to discuss the design. Since he loves to draw flowers, he was enthusiastic and had many suggestions. I then set up another appt for the actual tattoo & put down a deposit. Mijo & I met again where he showed me his design. We discussed the colors, placement & then he got to work. Since this was my 1st tattoo, I didn't know what to expect. The work space was clean and airy with everything draped. Everyone was very kind and attentive, talking to me, telling jokes with each other while Mijo worked away on my forearm and I sat quietly listening to music and the buzz of the needle. Mijo was very gentle and the pain was mild in comparison to what I anticipated from what other people had told me to expect. Three hours later, I had the most gorgeous tattoo. Mijo explained the aftercare process to me, took photos and asked me to come back in a month so he could take another photo after the colors had set. I cannot imagine getting a tattoo from anywhere else in Boulder. All the people are extraordinary artists with particular specialties. Joe is the one for Japanese inspired art with his prints hanging in the shop. Mijo is his apprentice and has his work station in Joe's room. Lance and PeeWee, the 2 other resident artists have incredible portfolios as well and would be great choices for a tattoo. If you're planning to get a tattoo, this is the place to start: the artists, the craftsmanship, the generous attentiveness. Call for a consultation. They truly are the best. read more

These guys are awesome! Fun, honest and laid back. They will give you an honest opinion on what they think, and help with ideas and suggestions. Clean and sterile, and awesome overall. Dave did a great job, and was cool to chill with for my 4 1/2 hour sitting! Thx!! read more