So I got my very first tattoo from here today. I arrived at 12:01 (sharp because I wanted to avoid crowds, as I didn't have an appointment) and the receptionist answered my questions. I told her I'd be back some other time but after walking two blocks and thinking "What the hell I'm already here" I went back and decided to get it done today. Mind you, this is coming from a former tattoo virgin who has a slight phobia of needles. But I'm 25 and I've wanted one for years so I entered again the shop and lucky me, the person who did my tattoo, Robert had just walking in after me. I gave them a piece of paper where I wrote what I wanted done, he fixed it a little and after probably 25 minutes tops I walked out with a beautiful fresh tattoo. The place: Super clean, it reminded me of a doctor's office but with an edge (black sofas and dark orangey-red walls). The guy who did my tattoo: Robert, such a sweetheart and made sure that everything was perfect. The tattoo came out even better than what I expected. Price: While some people might say they're pricey, I say you get what you pay for. You know what they say about cheap tattoos. Overall, the perfect first time for an awkward nervous girl. I'll def go back again for a second one. (Btw, while they do accept walk-ins, is better is you just call and make an appointment with them). read more

Covered up my tattoo from spring break over 10 years ago. I was a little apprehensive about getting something new, but the fact that I already had an existing tattoo on my arm that I didn't love made the decision easier. So this is technically my second one even though it incorporated the first. The staff was friendly and helpful. There is a good selection of different artist to choose from - all with their own unique styles. The artist that I originally spoke to was very informative answering all the questions that I had, but I didn't feel that his art matched my personality. There wasn't any pressure to choose him and I was easily able to select the artist that I liked most. Lucky for me, Ryoko was in town for a couple of weeks before going back to her stint in as a guest artist in Berlin. I found her work to fit more with my personal taste. She is a consummate professional and easy to be with. She was able to put my vision to skin and I am completely happy with the results! This girl has skills. Highly recommend. read more

Matty is an amazing artist - my first tattoo ever came out even better than I had hoped. He's especially great with making the tattoo "move" - knowing exactly how to draw movement and where to place the ink so that the tattoo comes alive when you move that part of your body. He made me feel at ease with the whole process as well. read more

Chris has done several of my tattoos/cover up and I just LOVE him! Very professional and talented! read more

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I always have this visions for my next tattoo. I can't quite put into words what I want, so I always have to vibe with my artist. That's Willie. He worked out exactly what I wanted and he looked at me after the put the stencil on and said "Oh yea, this is gonna be fun, thanks man" and I sat there for 4 hours and let him go to town. Everyone there is super nice, it felt like a true part of the community. The place is super clean and in a great neighborhood! read more

Came here last Saturday with two of my best friends to all get small tattoos. They were all our first so we were kinda dorky about it. Upon walking in the staff was friendly and welcoming. They said they could get us in right away since all of our designs were small and simple. The shop was clean and had a great Jimi Hendrix playlist in the background. Lorna at the front desk was awesome and Robert who did my tattoo was great. They were both helpful in advising me on location and proportion for my work. And the entire staff was cool. The pricing here is also a big plus. Cheaper than other places on the street and less pretentious. But didn't seem to have any quality, cleanliness, professionalism or experience sacrificed. Overall, a fantastic first tat experience. :) read more

Great place to get tatted!! Prices are so reasonable, they are super professional and clean. Ryo is amazing! I love my Luigi tattoo ;) read more

Didn't realized they moved a couple blocks down from where I first found them last year. Walked in on a late afternoon and happened to speak to Robert, just the artist I was looking for. He was super open to my ideas for a near-future forearm piece which I'll be contacting him about - but more importantly when I asked if he was able to fit me in for a smaller piece, he was accommodating as well, though he had an appointment that day he got me in for another day as his first appointment. Definitely did not disappoint. The staff there was very friendly and Robert himself really holds true to his work. Took all the necessary precautions to prep his station and made sure everything was clean, tidy, and most importantly safe. It's not the first piece he's done on me but he managed to complete it in a little over an hour, making sure all the details were there. Looking forward to going back again! read more

Hopefully a tip to this place... you don't try to convince someone with 17 tattoos that they should change their tattoo idea to what you think it should be. That's what a tourist's tattoo place does. Good luck to YOU. And this is what a minimum looks like. read more

I heart getting tattoos. I must admit, I'm not very faithful. That might change. Myke worked with me about a week ago to re-vamp a tattoo I got 8 years ago. Firstly, I am completely obsessed with a tattoo Myke gave himself on his left arm, and after seeing it, I practically begged him to color on me. So I'm not the most pain hungry person I know. I don't really like that part... and I explained what works for me, and Myke was all about being accommadating [though I must say practicing yoga made me able to breathe through the ouch more than i did 8 yrs ago]. He was like the dr. you wish you had. He told me before he did anything new or that would be painful, talking me through it. His pacing is slow and steady, and he entertained my girlfriend when i wasn't quite able to speak. And it turned out gorgeous. Very pleased. read more

I went here to get my first tattoo. A tribute portrait. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The artist Rob Bonhomme was great. He was collaborative and did excellent custom work. The shop was clean and the overall experience was fantastic. I've already scheduled my next tattoo. I wanted to update my initial review, almost ten months have gone by since I first walked into Brooklyn Tattoo. I have now had six sessions there with Rob Bonhomme. Each one is better than the last. In my most recent session, Rob did a tribute portrait tattoo of my father. He worked from a small 65-70 year old black & white photograph which I provided. Rob brought it to life in ways I never new could be done. I can't praise the shop, the staff, or the artists enough. I've watched the other artists work and reviewed their portfolios, they are all incredible. I am sure that I will eventually have them all do some work on me. read more

My other review was deleted for "offensive material" - sorry Yelp =[ , so I'll try to be as subtle yet descriptive as possible... Great place, I've been to several different tattoo shops, and this is definitely up there with the best in NYC. The shop is pretty small, but very clean, lots of art along the walls, great staff, everybody is cool and is friendly, which is important to me no matter where I go. As for their work, I can't speak on the other artists, but Adam Suerte did a great job on my tattoo (which is a train station, check my photos for more info)...I've dubbed him THE GUY to go to for Brooklyn themed/inspired work. He's cool, did my friend's arm piece a while back, so it was kind of a referral. Adam did a good job, very detailed, and although the price was a bit more than my pockets could handle, you can't really complain with the output given. He answered all my inquiries beforehand ASAP via email, and worked with me throughout the whole thought process of what I wanted to get - even offered to touch it up a little a few weeks after my tat was done healing. I plan to check him again for more work, but I've been real busy lately. Great place to get work done, or stop by. To me, it's a cool atmosphere, so you shouldn't have a problem if you want to simply convey any ideas to their respective artists. read more

Came in on a Sat for my second tat with two first timers in tow and left quite satisfied. I had my design while my two friends/coworkers had their verses and needed help with font. We were referred to Gabe and couldn't have been more pleased. My friends were getting their first tattoos in pretty delicate areas (ribs and hip) and the lettering not so forgiving and I was set on getting my design exactly as created by the artist. Gabe executed perfectly. Aside from being skilled, he was quite pleasant...just cool and friendly, willing to help and made us feel quite at ease. I'm thinking the universe was smiling on us that day... As walk-ins I'm thinking it could have been hit or miss with a random artist. The shop is clean... And coming from three nurses I think that's something ;) The staff in general was awesome. My man in the front had me wanting to crack up while receiving pain ... Tsk tsk tsk I suppose considering I was supposed to be staying as still as possible :p I will definitely have this shop in mind for future tats. read more

Top notch shop! They have really great colors and can help you bring to life your vague ideas. I gave Gabe lots of creative freedom and am SO happy I did. He worked fast, picked out a sick persimmon color and decided on the best bird to get on my hip in the best position (a cover up no less!). I really couldn't be happier! Total for these two tattoos was 2.5 hours which is pretty good. Reasonable prices too. Robert is currently sketching a large piece for my back. I'm looking forward to getting it started next month. read more

Brooklyn Tattoo - Great persimmon color - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Fantastic and relaxing first tattoo experience with the artist Adam Suerte. Worked with me for weeks of back and forth emailing until the final product i wanted was there. None of the pretension of the LES shops. Clean environment, friendly staff, and a cool-skillful artist. !! read more

Brooklyn Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I've walked by this shop many times and when I finally decided on a tattoo design, this was the first place I checked out. I have absolutely no regrets about getting my tattoo here! The artist, Gabe, did an absolutely fantastic job on my line tattoo. It is healing wonderfully and looks amazing - I couldn't be more happy! Not only is the result fantastic, the consultation was wonderful, the tattooing almost painless and impressively quick, and everything was well worth the money. I already know where I will be getting my next tattoo! read more

After speaking to artist after artist in four different tattoo shops...I came to find Brooklyn Tattoo (by some divine miracle). I looked through all the artist portfolios, loving all of them... but especially loving Pat's work, since her portfolio included a previously done tattoo, similar to what I wanted. I emailed Pat with my image and she got back to me, told me to set something up. It took me awhile to set up an appointment, since this was my first tattoo & I kept chicken-ing out. I eventually called the shop, the man who took my information to set the appointment up was a complete sweetheart, only adding to my awesome feelings about getting my first done there. When I came in to get it done, I didn't have that feeling I had before...of arrogance from everybody working there. They were welcoming, which was a nice feeling. I met Pat & she did not rush anything with me, she took her time in placing the tattoo in the perfect spot and even re-sized the stencil for me, after placing the first (larger-sized one) on my wrist. She was very precise and beyond professional, yet, made me feel very comfortable. Despite being nervous...about the pain, it wound up being a relatively quick process & was over in about 15-20 minutes. After finishing up, Pat made sure to make a point on how to care for the tattoo. I could tell she really gave a shit. This honestly was one of the most pleasant experiences I've had, I will most definitely be getting more tattoos from this shop. I am overjoyed and so happy I didn't quickly choose another shop. Brooklyn Tattoo is awesome, period. read more

Brooklyn Tattoo - Ahimsa sanskrit tattoo by Pat - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Quick response. Super detailed and helped my wife and I get tattoos. The guy that tattood us was Matt. Would definitely go back to them.

I knew exactly what I wanted tattoo wise when I walked into Brooklyn Tattoo. I lived in the neighborhood and figured I should at least check the place out after reading the positive reviews of it on Yelp. (Yes, I did read the negative reviews as well.) The tattoo I wanted was very simple, yet very intricate - two lines of sanskrit on my inner forearm right below my elbow. I took a print out with me and everything. I had taken the print out to multiple tattoo shops and they had all said that my image was "too small" and they needed to make its 2 or 3 times the size. I spoke to the lady behind the counter who was very kind and went back to get a tattoo artist for me. She brought me Willie. Long story super short -- Willie said he could manage the small font and I booked my appointment with him. I trusted him immediately. The tattoo itself took about an hour and a half. His attention to detail while working on me was immaculate. He used the smallest needle the shop had and did a BEAUTIFUL job. He said that since there was so much detail in such a small space, he didn't know how it would heal, and offered me a free 'touch-up' in 4 weeks. 4 weeks have passed. The tattoo has healed perfectly, but I'm still going to schedule the touch-up and bring him cupcakes as a thank you. Willie is a kind soul and a great artist. I got great vibes from the other artists there as well. The prices are reasonable for the great work you receive, the place is clean, and the people are nice. What more could you ask for? read more

Brooklyn Tattoo is the real deal. First of all, I just want to clarify that the customer service here is top notch. Everybody here is friendly (Especially Gedi) and if you have an idea about a tattoo, that artist that consults with you will do everything in their power to bring your idea to life and they'll even make it even more dynamic with their own ideas. My personal experience was nothing but good vibes. Gabe hooked me up about 2 and a half weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. I've been getting compliments left and right and my design isn't even done yet! I'm just about healed up so I will be back soon, I can't wait til it's finished. Seriously guys, you can't go wrong with any artist in here; but Gabe is truly a master at his craft. read more

Got my first tattoo done here today & it was exactly what I expected. Calm, clean environment with super friendly staff and professional skills will be returning! read more

Brooklyn Tattoo - Thanks Adam! - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I did a lot of research on tattoo shops to try and find a place I was comfortable getting inked at. I found Brooklyn tattoo, and I browsed their website to find the artist I liked the most. I picked Robert, emailed him, got a fast response and set an appointment. When we showed up for our appointment, they told us they were going to change us from Robert to Gabe. There was no explanation given. Gabe wasn't on the website, so I had no idea about his skill, but they had a book of his stuff and it looked fine so we went ahead and decided to go through it. Gabe is a super nice guy and definitely knows what he's doing. My tat turned out great and I had a positive experience working with him, even when I was being picky about placement on some text. I'm taking off one star from my review because of the last minute artist switch without explanation. I don't regret getting Gabe (and you won't either), he was totally great, but for something as important as a tattoo you don't want any last minute changes to the artist you carefully picked. Gabe is still not up on their site, but he's been a regular at Brooklyn Tattoo for 6 months and is absolutely worth working with. Hit him up and you won't be disappointed. read more

After months of contemplating whether I should go through with getting a huge piece done on my thigh, I'm glad I finally went through with it. Pat was very patient as well as professional. I will definitely be returning for more artwork. read more

Hate to be the one to break the trend here. . . There were a number of red flags when I was in there a while ago. Mostly I was concerned that the result was not going to be good, given the quality of the drawings I was seeing in person - far less skilled than attributed to the artist on the web site. At any rate, I went ahead. I had given a deposit and I wanted to get it done. Though the other staff were friendly, my artist (who I don't want to attack personally, and therefore am leaving nameless) was not particularly nice and seemed tired and a little put out throughout the experience. I'll spare the blow-by-blow, but the result was just OK. On close inspection it was a little bit sloppy. Lines were thicker and thinner arbitrarily and in one spot she colored outside the lines. She was either not very experienced, or just didn't seem to care. In the end, she put saran wrap on the bleeding tattoo (which is shown ALL OVER THE WEB to be an outdated and very BAD idea - it breeds bacteria and, as a result, is actually against the law in many states) followed by a torn-off piece of paper towel. All of it was held in place with masking tape. No sterile bandage, no surgical tape. Plastic wrap, a paper towel and masking tape. Not only is this unhygienic and not in compliance with state requirements* (or good sense), but it also seemed really lazy. When I got home and looked, the saran wrap had moved, and the paper towel had been rubbing back and forth on about half of the tattoo. Now I'm praying that it won't get infected. I'm writing this not to get this woman in trouble, but to give the place a heads-up that they need to make sure the artists are compliant and trained - at least in basic safety requirements. The rest is my fault for going through with it despite my instincts. I should have taken the loss and gone somewhere else. *"A clean sterile dressing should be carefully applied over the completed tattoo to avoid touching the sterile surface. The dressing should remain over the tattooed area for 3-5 hours. Sterile dressings should be individually wrapped by the manufacturer to ensure sterility until dressing is applied to the customer's skin. Plastic coverings that do not allow for proper air circulation to the tattooed area should not be used." - New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Health Standards and Recommendations for Tattooing home2.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/hany/tattoo-manual.pdf - 2009-07-29 read more

Ok so let me just say that i love this place. I walked in one day and chose my artist from the books based on the type of tattoo I wanted. I knew exactly what I wanted before I came in the shop, if you're looking for a tattoo you should have a general idea before coming in. They will do a custom job, please don't pick something from a book and want a replica, there is no point in paying per hour for something that foolish... Anyway. I personally enjoy having something that no one else is going to have the way that I have it. I picked Rob. He was excellent. I got a tattoo which he has currently retired from doing after doing it on me :) lol it was quite ... Vigorous, took precision, and quite frankly an enormous amount of patience that I could never possess, so for that I love and appreciate Rob. He worked on the stenciling until it was perfect, I've never really seen anything like it, and I have tattoos already. I've bumped into lazy artists before who aren't willing to make sure things aren't perfect from the very beginning. I'm pretty anal and I walked in knowing I needed my tattoo a certain way, and I stumbled upon the perfect artist for me. The tat is around my ankle and goes down on to the top of my foot. It was painless for me because I have a high threshold for pain, however please don't assume getting ankle and foot tattoos are a breeze I've heard many horror stories including people passing out. Anyway, he works incredibly fast and neat with great lines. I loved my tattoo from beginning to end. After it healed in about six weeks or so they asked me to come back in for touch ups etc, it required minimal work.... This too was fast. I recommend him to anyone who asks about my tattoo. The studio is clean, the equipment is all clean, everyone is very hygienic. You don't have to be concerned that you're getting a dirty needle from a previous user. Your appointment is honored and respected, which is something that is extremely extremely important to me. All of the gentlemen in the office that I encountered were helpful, knowledgeable and cool. FYI please TIP YOUR TATTOO ARTIST... Everyone may not know this but prior to me getting it done just google, it's just proper etiquette that you don't think of. They do work quite hard, tip your artist for a job well done. Hope this helps!! I know I will continue to get all my tattoos in the future at this shop. read more

I had a fantastic experience at Brooklyn Tattoo last week. It's the place to go for both ink virgins and seasoned folk. It's been about 15 years since my last tattoo. I moved to South Beach 4 years ago but fly home to NY every other month or so and of course will only do ink work at home. I love my old place (on the LES) but decided that I wanted to support a place in my borough. I've had the majority of my work done by a woman artist and wanted to continue this trend. After doing some research, Pat at Brooklyn Tattoo was the clear choice. From the moment I initially called up until the moment I left, everything was right on. Derek answered the phone and after gathering some info, suggested I shoot over some ideas/pics of what I'd like. Pat was as fantastic--bright, warm, friendly and so pretty. We bounced ideas off of each other and after drawing a stencil of what I wanted, Pat was super patient as we decided where to put the ink. All the while we had amazing tunes playing overhead, laughing and joking with staff and digging an all around excellent Friday. Great day, great people. Looking forward to getting more work done by Pat and visiting the crew over at Brooklyn Tattoo. read more

I decided to stop in here for my second tattoo after seeing all the positive yelp reviews and the shop's proximity to my office. I wanted a line of Latin text on my inner bicep. I stopped in on a Tuesday with a printout of some samples. After showing Gabe, my artist, he gave me honest feedback about the size, font, and spacing. For example, the letters had to be big enough, the lines thick enough, and the letters far enough apart for the tattoo to be doable and look good. I appreciated the honesty since this is something that's going to be on my body forever. You definitely don't want your tattoo artist to be a yes-man/woman. We agreed on a general format and I set my appointment for a Thursday evening, two nights later. I was asked for a deposit of $75 (non-refundable if you don't call at least 24 hours in advance to change your appointment) to be put towards the total price. I was also advised that even though my tattoo would likely take less than an hour, that I would be charged $175, the price for one hour of tattooing. No biggie, I thought, even though that would be pricey for a tattoo of the size I was getting. I'd rather pay a bit more for good service and peace of mind. Thursday night rolls around and I show up for my tattoo 15 minutes before my appointment time with my husband (you're allowed one guest to sit with you). No other customers are in the shop. Gabe takes a few minutes to set up and we get started. He transferred the stencil of the text onto my arm, assuring me that he'd move it as many times as I wanted to get the placement exactly where I wanted. I gawked at it, looked in three different mirrors and decided to take the plunge. I asked Gabe for an estimate of how long the tattoo would take. He said 30-40 minutes. He was done in 22 minutes! Thank you Gabe for overestimating! And it came out as well as I had imagined it. Gabe also gave me a price break the night of so I ended up not paying the full hourly rate. If you have the good fortune of this happening to you, please leave a nice tip! Gabe and all the staff at Brooklyn Tattoo are friendly and professional and answered all my questions. The parlor itself isn't large so this isn't the place for you and your entourage to get drunken tattoos together. It's clean and run very responsibly. They gave me written instructions for aftercare and they actually recommend that you stop in a couple weeks after your tattoo so they can check up on its healing process. That's standing by your product. Highly recommend. read more

I've been looking for a tattoo studio for a long time and I ended up having my second tattoo here. I'm completely happy over the entire experience but I'd like to highlight my artist, Pat. She's so talented and easy-going, two features hard to find together. I'll definitely come back soon! read more

Nearly a year later and still waiting for my design. :/ Did my due diligence - the artist is a friend of a close friend of mine. Went for the consult, followed up like I should, followed up again, got the run around, followed up again, more run around, gave up. read more

After thinking on it longer and looking at it with more scrutiny, I'd say I got a very amateurish tattoo here. I'll probably have to pay again to have it fixed. If only the attitude of the chick that did it matched the quality she delivered . . . read more

Great first time experience for my daughter that just turned 18. Her first tattoos. Yes 2. Low key Sunday vibe. Great music. Chris Crowder (artist) and front desk staff did a great job. Very helpful and really made her feel great about her work. 2 simple but very specific pieces with little room for "interpretation" and Chris nailed them. I'll be going back to him for a rework of an old tattoo to bring it back to life. Chris is a very encouraging guy that obviously loves his job. Thanks Chris. read more

Brooklyn Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Sara gave me my first tattoo ever. It was nicely done and I love it!

Got my third tattoo from brooklyn tattoo and pat did another amazing job. Had an idea for 3 small silhouette birds and pat blew it out of the water. She took my idea and made it 3 times better. It took about 1 hr and 15 min. It was 210 and wasnt that painfull read more

Brooklyn Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I went to Brooklyn Tattoo for a cover up and let me tell you Robert Bonhomme is fraggin awesome artist. He hooked up this awful mistake I had done when I was 18 years stupid. Loved the atmosphere in the shop as well. The other artist are cool ass mofos, as well. They even have some canvases up of their art, which is cool. I would recommend this place to any and all. I never felt any uncertainty and was totally comfortable here. Drop your dough here and you will get great results. When I was there some guy came in asking for a tat of the Tasmanian Devil holding an umbrella with weed falling all over it. What the......and he was serious. I though I heard it all. read more

The birthplace of my first and second tattoos. I got a St. Michael the Archangel tribute for my boy who was KIA in Iraq..Rob really captured what I had in my head and made it come to life! It was so ill, I came back to Brooklyn Tattoo for my other tattoos...Guido did an awesome job as well..clean, safe atmosphere, with creative people and good music..this place is what's up! #winning!! read more

Did a tattoo on my chest my artist got really into the design and went all out. If you have to get one, this is the spot. They see themselves as artists. Guess what that means for your wallet. read more

My tattoo is so awesome it makes me cry. The experience was just as great. Thanks Pat! read more

I decided to go to Brooklyn Tattoo based on some awesome work my boyfriend had done by Adam. My tattoo wasn't very complex but Adam did and amazing job. The place is very clean, and I really liked that I got to lay down, even though my tattoo was on my forearm. Laying down makes pain seem less, I think. I highly recommend Brooklyn Tattoo and Adam to anyone looking for a professional tattoo done in a chill environment. p.s. Adam specializes in bridges/cityscapes and will create unique images with you. read more

Amazing tattoo shop! Front desk was welcoming, I didn't have an appointment and didn't have to wait at all. I saw Jeff who was so patient and kind and the tattoo is everything I thought it would be and more. Everything about this place put me at ease, they were extremely professional, and I'll definitely be coming back when it's time for the next one! read more

Super satisfied with the experience at Brooklyn Tattoo. This was my first ink and Adam was just the best throughout the whole process. The design I wanted is an armband of binary 0s and 1s. He worked so hard to get the template just perfect, worked hard to get it perfectly aligned and was really crisp and efficient in applying the tattoo. The shop I went to in DC said "nope, too hard, we're going to have to wrap this twice around." Adam's design totally nailed it and I know it's going to be good for years to come. Good communication all the way through and the process was far less scary that I thought. Rest of the folks in the shop all super chill. Don't know what my second tattoo will be, but it will certainly be done at Brooklyn Tattoo. read more