Amazing, professional and very friendly staff. I got 3 tattoos here already. Oscar is very skilled. Dynamic attention to detail. very skilled, worth every dollar. I will probably be going to Oscar for another one this week. Brilliant work, worth the wait and prices are great. See you guys soon. read more

Citizen Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Walk in for piercings and got them done in 10 mins. I felt comfortable with my piercer they kept asking if I was okay throughout the process. read more

Citizen Ink - Sorry dark photo but got a second lobe, a conch, belly button and flat here. - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

I've been going to Joe for tattoos since 2010. He is not only creative and artistic, but has the skill to back it up. The shop atmosphere is relaxed and the staff has a fun, easy going dynamic, but above all the artwork is phenomenal. I know before I walk in the door that I am going to leave happy with an amazing piece of art. I also had the chance to get a couple of piercings there & was very happy with the experience & outcome. I cannot recommend Citizen Ink highly enough. read more

Citizen Ink - Hawk & Skull (2021) - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Came in as a walk-in tonight after getting a nose piercing (at a place in the city) the night before that I hated the placement of, and had removed that morning. Ali, the owner, and Dani, my piercer, greeted me when I walked in and were both extremely helpful in discussing my issues with the original piercing, talking about possible solutions and future concerns with possibly changing jewelry. They showed me the jewelry they used for piercings, which was superior to what was used at the other place and proceeded to bring me back to try out a placement that would work for me. Dani got it perfect with the first marker placement and I instantly felt so much happier about the piercing. The piercing itself was quick and painless and Dani was just so professional and knowledgeable that I knew I had made the right decision coming there. I was instantly smiling when I saw the piercing completed and I'm so happy found such an incredible place with people that truly know their craft. I was only there for a short period of time but they made such an positive experience that I'll definitely be a returning customer. read more

I believe I am the only person in the history of the Citizen Ink Tattoo shop to get a half-body suit designed and tatted. Check out the photos below to see my personal transformation. Obviously, I am one happy customer! My collaboration with my selected artist was a resounding success and I feel renewed and inspired in my current incarnation. If you desire a quality tattoo you'll be proud of your entire life, and at an affordable price, you have got to come visit Citizen Ink. The artists here LOVE what they do, just come check out the portfolios of their previous work, don't be shy, set up an appointment, and come in to explore your options hassle-free. See for yourself why the locals rave about this tattoo shop, I know I am blessed to have had the opportunity to get my work done here. Have a blessed day! Namaste. read more

See all

So before i start i just want to put a quick disclaimer. The owner of this shop has threatened to call his lawyer on me because my reviews are considered "harassment". He even said "i have been here for years, you think one bad review will hurt me?" but is so offended over my review that he had to threaten me with a lawyer. I have called my lawyer and he even told me that it is not illegal or considered harassment to post multiple bad reviews if i have proof of it. He also said "you will never be satisfied with any work by any artist" which is funny because i was way more satisfied with the work of other artists lol. I am simply warning others on multiple websites to not go through the same thing i did. Please remember this when you are dealing with such a sketchy business owner. Ok let's begin: 1. September 2020, Piercer: I came in here to get a simple ear lobe piercing. This is not my first time getting an ear lobe piercing. At first it was comforting because the man was nice and looked like he knew what he was doing. When he did my piercing he even made a mark with a sharpie to show me where the needle would go through. I have attached ears which means the middle of the ear lobe is going to stick out instead of hang. Every professional piercer should know this. I also have a birthmark on the low part of my earlobe which for some reason he thought was the middle of my ear lobe and kept trying to pierce it there. After 4 times redrawing it, i thought he got the right spot. After a few months of healing i noticed that the placement was so bad and way too close to my face. When i told him this he said "i used my best judgment", i am sorry but if you say that and don't know exactly what you are doing you should not be doing it. I took it out and never trusted him again. 2. October 2020, Tattoo #1, Orange: So this was supposed to be my first tattoo ever, and i was really excited to have this done. I came in with my mother because she was getting a tattoo done as well. The biggest issue with my tattoo was the placement. As someone who is new to tattoos it will always be difficult to figure out if a tattoo is in the center or not. Some artists such as orange seem to take advantage of that. Now i simply wanted 3 letters done, something that took 10 mins to do. I told her i wanted it to look like ancient hebrew font and she simply did a copy and paste. She also made my tattoo crooked (Is a pattern for artists in this shop). I ended up fixing it by another artist who had more than 18 years of experience. What bothered me the most is that when i asked her if the placement was straight she kept saying yes without actually looking at it carefully. To me it looks like she was an apprentice posing as a master. 3. January, 2021, Tattoo #2, Oskar: Here is where i had the biggest issue, and frankly was very angry. Oskar did my mom's tattoo and at first i really loved the way he did it. So i trusted him to do my next one. I came in and asked for a geometric wolf head and even showed a reference. Oskar then drew it as his own design and i loved it. He told me the price would be around 800 so i told him what if we removed some detail because my budget was around 400. He took away designs that would have taken an extra 10 mins to do, just to cut the price in half. I had no problem with it at first. Later on when he placed it on my skin he made me stand up a few times, and he did the tattoo while i was laying down because it was "easier for him". Nobody does this for an inner forearm tattoo by the way. Within the next week i already noticed huge problems. One ear was longer than the other, The tattoo placement was crooked, Detail was poor, and he posted pics of it in a very bad angle which was embarrassing. I asked him to take down the picture of it and he refused. So i had to comment on the photo on his instagram saying i was not happy with how he did it. He did offer to "fix it" but at this point it was too late to fix it. There was no way to "try to fix it" as the ink was already in the skin, and the tattoo was way too crooked. I Pointed out oskar's mistakes and he got furious and refused to believe it. Of Course i was mad so i did explain that he was a horrible artist for doing this. His feelings were so hurt that i called him a bad artist, pointed out his mistakes, and asked him to take down the picture of my tattoo. He ended up blocking me because of it. Is this really who you want touching ur skin with a needle? a guy who can't admit to his own mistakes?. I even went to another artist who had over 20 years of experience to ask about it (Oskar only has 6 years of experience), and he said he could have done the same tattoo for much less and much quicker. I have seen his work and even watched him tattoo other people, so i know citizen ink was just trying to get extra money out of me. I then had to write an email to the owner explaining that i wanted a refund. I did receive the refund but this is on my skin forever. read more

Citizen Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Where the hell am I!? Is exactly what I thought when I got off the train in Sheepshead Bay, the Deep South of Brooklyn on the Q. I know I wanted a tattoo from Katya Krasnova and the place that she's located at is in a super Russian tattoo shop called Citizen Ink. There's no receptionist at this place or shop assistant. It looks like everyone just tries to help out when people come in. The shop was playing Black Metal which I liked. The art and tattoo books were outside of the traditional tattoos you see which is also a bonus. Katya was still busy with a client but all the man banter was amusing. When my turn came up, we went over the design she made for me. I said I wanted a coffin with cat sleeping on top of it. It's a little "sleep when I'm dead" style. I also love cats and am a little bit of a goth so it seems like the best first leg tattoo to have. We agreed on where it should lay and I laid on the table. It was a difficult part of the body for myself. Be prepared. I tried not looking like a total wuss in the shop but I might've failed miserably. The music also stopped at some point and all I could hear was the needle jabbing me. There was also no attempt at conversation. No distraction. We made it though and I loved it! Katya has a very distinct style and I'm happy I waited for her return to the states from European tattoo travels. I paid in cash for the difference of the deposit and tip. It got wrapped up but with the heat it didn't want to stay on. This is why I try to do the tattoos in the fall or winter. It's better for less sun and more coverage. I would highly recommend this little tattoo secret to anyone. It might help to learn a little Russian. This is definitely a rad shop for quality tattoos in NY! Don't let the train deter you! read more

See all

It's fantastic when a tattoo artist actually listens and works with a person to create permanent art on their body. Sylvie from Citizen Ink is that kind of tattoo artist. He's talented and very considerate. It's been over a year now and Sylvie has created wonderful art on my body. He also pierced my nose and I'm very happy with his piercing prowess. Go there and bring your ideas to him. Sylvie will create tattoo Magic on your body! read more

Citizen Ink - My latest tattoo, done 5/14/2022, by Sylvie at Citizen Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

See all

Having a blast getting my whole leg tattoo done by Joe's free hand! The place has a great vibe. People who work there are extremely talented and chill. Also, I must say that they have a fenomenal piercer, Sylvie, who is very good and actually knows what he is doing! Had rook and ear lobe pierced by him at the same time a month ago(healed beautifully)and yesterday got my deith pierced on the other ear! read more

See all

Cash only. Superb staff. Went here for my first couple helix piercings and will probably continue going here for the rest of my piercing journey. I'm sensitive to nickel, but the titanium post upgrade was only +$10, which kept prices super affordable. If you have any particular placements in mind and/or reference pictures at hand, make sure to show them to your piercer. They do a great job at listening to directions. The place itself has a great atmosphere and feels super inviting. Highly recommend. read more

A few years ago I came in off the street and asked if they would cover up a 10 year old tattoo after being told no by a few other shops who "wouldn't touch other artists work." I've been a loyal customer ever since. Joe works with me to bring my basic ideas to beautiful, full life and I always get stopped in the street and ask where I got my work done. My pride and joy is the penguin cover up that Joe did in 2015. All I told him was I wanted a penguin wearing headphones. I didn't see what he came up with the two weeks and when I came back I almost cried when I saw the results. I highly recommend Citizen Ink! read more

Citizen Ink - Penguin cover up by Joe Khay - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

I have came for the first time back in December as a walk in since my other appointment had to be rescheduled last minute with someone else. and that's when I met the amazing Oskar. i had gotten a tattoo of a skull hand holding a rose on my arm. he explained what he would do to make this piece look good. did mostly line work, and came out AMAZING! i never had a tattoo that got so many compliments!!! i was extremely happy with his work. i have gotten another tattoo last week by him, and honestly another best work by him!!! he is very caring and answers all of my questions and concerns. He is definitely now my guy for work. can't wait to book another session soon!! This place is filled with great vibes, definitely recommend checking this place out and Oskar!!! read more

Easily one of the worst tattoos I've ever had. The artist rushed, was too tired and needed breaks 30 minutes in, and was overall a terrible artist. You can see the results for yourself read more

Citizen Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

See all

I'll start by saying everyone was extremely nice and professional. I recently visited on November 9th for a small tattoo on the back of my neck. I've noticed that a lot of artists (In general) tend to downplay or oversimplify smaller tattoos which is annoying because regardless of size, you want it to be right & perfectly fit your vision. I got tattooed by a guy named Nik, who seemed to be available because I was a walk-in. We spent some time tweaking and fixing the sketch because I wanted my tattoo to be petite, skinny, & sleek giving the effect of an entire arrow when you glance at it. He told me a few times that it's but so small I can go (which I wholly disagree with because I've seen very intricate and detailed smaller tattoos done before, it's def not impossible). Anyway we do the tattoo and I am satisfied with it. Fast forward, the healing process has been very depressing for me, to the point where I almost regret getting it. This is my fourth tattoo, the other three range from small to large pieces. I have NEVER had a tattoo react this way. The tattoo does not look the same from when I first got it, & it keeps breaking out constantly *still, to present day*. It also looks old and faded. It could be some type of reaction to the ink, the artists technique, or just the area it's in. Either way, I wanted to share this because it's my first time experiencing anything like this & just in case this is not a one off situation, it may help someone else. Ive attached a picture from the shop when I got the tattoo, & pictures of the tattoo over the past few weeks. Update: added pic 5 months later. Final look read more

Citizen Ink - Current day 06/04/2020 - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Words can't describe how this tattoo shop just goes above and beyond. Joe, the owner is a phenomenal artist and an amazing person. My body is literally covered in his work and I just feel so lucky about that. I have a total of 7 tattoos from him, all of them are so perfect. I will not go to anyone else after getting tattooed by him. Aside from his undeniable talent, he does an incredible job of making sure you are comfortable. Time really flys by when you're in his chair. The entire shop has a very cool atmosphere and consists of many other wonderful artists such as Carina and Brittany. I get compliments on my tattoos constantly and always tell people where to go. Can't suggest this place enough! read more

My mom and I called to see it the piercer was in and when we didn't get an answer, we decided to take the short drive to double check. The lights were on, people were inside, but the door was locked, so we rang the doorbell and watched the people inside look in our direction and continue on. We knocked and still, we were ignored. The customer service here is abysmal, at best. From the looks of the tattoo artist's portfolios online, their work is garbage. Don't waste your time here. Literally go anywhere else. read more

Went to Citizen Ink for a 1st time tattoo. The staff was professional and very pleasant. Sylvie who did my tattoo was AMAZING! Took the time to listen to exactly what I wanted and worked hard to make sure I got the desired result. I can't say enough good things about Sylvie. Highly recommend Sylvie and Citizen Ink read more

They were "OK". My sisters and I got our noses pierced here all on the same day. I told him I wanted it to be in a good place for a hoop ring to fit nice and snug down the line. He recommended getting the screw ring first and changing to the hoop later. He said the screw is easier than a stud to clean for a new piercing. So we all said ok. I confirmed with him that the piercing would fit a hoop, and he also confirmed with his coworker, so I trusted his judgement. I ended up hating the location. As i have a wide nose it was far too close to the end of my nostril, and the bar of the screw didnt go to the back, it stuck out the front of my nose. I found this to be distracting and not appropriate for work. I was headed out of the country for vacation, but the day after I came back I went to a different piercer and got a long stud, and my nose re-pierced in the RIGHT location. Also, my sisters piercing is turning dark around the ring, I'm not sure about the type of jewelry they used. I would think twice about piercings here, there strengths are clearly with Tattoos! read more

greatest staff, so clean and professional. never an infected piercing. my friends tats came out great too.

Joe is the MAN! Super friendly and patient with any size/design tattoo you want. He takes his time and makes sure it's placed right before he gets buzzing. Everyone in the shop is friendly so no worries if you're a tattoo veteran or tattoo virgin. All are welcome(unless youre under age, then you can come to watch). Highly recommend coming in here for your tattoo of any kind. read more

I had an amazing experience getting my first tattoo here by Anucky... she was amazing in every sense of the word. So much so that i'm leaving a yelp review lol. she was so kind and patient with me, she reassured me that we could take as much time as we needed to get the placement right and to make sure that I was comfortable with the entire process. The shop was so clean and everyone followed Covid guidelines which was really comforting to me. i've already recommended the shop to so many people and I will definitely be returning for future pieces! read more

See all

Called and was able to come in the next day. Great service and very reasonable prices. Paid $140 for my tattoo. Took under an hour. Would go back forsure. *Brittany is amazing. read more

Citizen Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Nice shop Clean with a friendly and helpful staff I made an appointment a few months ago for a piece by a visiting artist Mashkow Well the story goes the artist wasn't in the country The staff took the appointment Took pictures and instructions And set everything up I arrived at 12 3o on appointment day and after a consultation he was tattooing by 1 pm 6 hours later he finished part one of 4 His work is top tier and I've been tattooed by some of the best around for over 25 years The entire shop seems well run read more

See all

The only place I get my tattoos!!!! Joe is the absolute best!! Service is amazing all around. I have also gotten two piercings from here. 12000/10 read more

I am a returning Citizen Ink customer. The staff is very polite and approachable; it was very easy to talk to all of them. I fell in love with Julie the first time she pierced my ear. Julie was very meticulous and careful with my piercing. She thoroughly sterilized everything and took her time. The shop is a very clean and sterile place. I returned to get my tragus pierced by Julie. She walked me through what she would be doing in order to pierce my tragus since it's cartilage which definitely eased me. Julie was very nice and told me I could call if i had any problems or questions regarding my piercing (probably because she noticed I am a nervous person!) Luckily, I haven't had to call however it reassured me knowing I could! I have referred citizen ink to my friends for tattoos and piercings and they have nothing but good things to say about this place! A friend of mine has had her ears pierced 9 times at Piercing Pagoda. Each time she got it pierced it either closed or got infected; she or her mother took proper care of it using the cleaning solution they gave her. She decided to give it one more try at Citizen Ink and I guess you could say 10th times a charm! Julie pierced her ears 2 summers ago and the ear piercings are still in tact. All piercers should use needles rather than guns because needles are much more sterile! Don't believe me? Google it! http://tattoo.about.com/cs/psafety/a/piercing_guns.htm Keep up the great work, Citizen Ink! I'll be back :) read more

So I have never been there but saw it in passing on the bus! I jotted the number and called them to ask how much is a small finger tattoo? I was told point blank and I quote..." we don't do finger tattoos cause eventually they fade and it's a waste of money." So mix feelings about this place. Should I thank them and be grateful that they told me not to waste my money? OR should I think that's BAD customer service especially when a NEW potential customer is inquiring in their business? I have to admit somewhat of a turn off no wonder they are empty every time I pass by! Whatever the case they seriously need to work on their customer service skills ... POINT BLANK! I say stay away! But this is MY opinion! And they open fake accounts to respond! read more

I went here to get a tattoo on my ribs and made an appointment with Eli. He was very accommodating with my design and created something better than I could have imagined! He made me feel as comfortable as possible too, I recommend going here if you want a cool tatt:). read more

This place was very warm and welcoming. I was terrified to Pierce my nose, but they were informative and made the experience light. Thank you for all of your assistance. I love my new piercing! read more

I went into this shop on a whim because I was in the neighborhood and wanted to add some more piercings to my ears. Sylvie was incredibly patient in answering my questions and very careful with my piercings. I ended up piercing my tragus, flat, and ear lobe. It wasn't painful at all and Sylvie was very careful about disinfecting everything. The shop is very clean and pretty peaceful. I'll definitely be back for more piercings. read more

Friendly little shop with good prices, good atmosphere, and good work. I got this sparrow from Benny who drew it up as part of a flash sheet and it came out great. The flash from Citizen in general always looks good and the artists post their work on social media often. Would definitely recommend this place for both flash and custom pieces. read more

Citizen Ink - Sparrow from Benny - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Walked in with two tattoos in mind and Yulia helped me out. She suggested a couple of changes and they came out great. Very professional, clean place, reasonable prices and super nice people. Loved Yulia and the place and will be back soon for a third tattoo. read more

They make the best turtle soup! I came here after yesterday and it was amazing! I like to go to the guy here. It was comfortable. Smells are important. Ink is permanent read more

Amazing! Got my cartilage piercing today and I love the way it turned out. Amazing technique (needle, not the gun that damages cartilage), and everyone was nice and friendly. This is a really good place to get a piercing done. Would recommend! read more

Citizen Ink - Safe to say I'm in love! - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Finally came to Joe at Citizen Ink on the recommendation of two different people. This man is awesome! Had a large piece done over three sessions and couldn't be happier. Shop is clean, fun, and full of characters. Joe himself is one of the most genuinely awesome people you will ever meet - just talk to him - you won't be disappointed. Tattoo healed up really nice and the quality is top notch. Joe is my guy from now on, and Citizen Ink is my shop! Hands Down! read more

I've been wary of getting another tattoo after such a bad experience for my first tattoo (Not done here). So I researched local places, and after getting a recommendation from a friend decided to get my tattoo done here. I'm so glad I did. I got my tattoo done from Soner, and he was absolutely FANTASTIC. After such a horrible first experience (at another place), he made me feel so comfortable, explained what he was going to do before he did it, asked questions, double checked with me if I wanted things done one way or another so I could have the best experience. He was extremely funny, patient and did a phenomenal job on the tattoo as well. I plan on getting a sleeve done in the future, and will be coming right back here to get it done with him. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. Pricing was more than fair. EDIT - 7/5/14 : Went to see Spyder, one of the artists here a month or so ago to get a brand new tattoo. He was awesome too, and I'm in love with my tattoo. Good experience yet again. It seems the place is doing tattoos mostly by appointment now unless it's a tiny piece. Had to come in to set an appointment and drop a deposit. Not really a big deal, still worth the extra trip. read more

Went in for a tattoo, 2 years later, 5 tattoos, all from Joe, and i cant get enough of this place... great studio, good people, amazing quality of the work done. read more

Citizens Ink had an excellent selection of flash for their Friday the 13th promotion--I got two surprisingly large black and white pieces and spent all of $40 i($13 plus $7 tip for each) for these fantastic tattoos! Everybody who worked there was friendly and helpful, and Vladimir had a great bedside manner and did a terrific job with the shading. I've been to a lot of shops and gotten a lot of tattoos over the last 20 years, and I gotta say, this one is really worth returning to. Thanks guys! read more

Citizen Ink - One of the best Friday the 13th tattoos ever (notice the lack of a gratuitous 13 anywhere in this cool design?!). - Tattoo Near Me - Sheepshead Bay, New York

Words cannot express how happy I am that I found this place... AND to top it off, it's only a 10 minute walk from where I live. My first time at Citizen Ink, I had a crappy tattoo I got on a whim retouched/fixed by Franco who did a great job with what he was given to work with. My second time there, I was matched up with Dima (a.k.a. "Spider") who did a hamsa piece on my back. It was virtually painless and the result was exactly how I had envisioned it. It also helps that the environment is just fun to be around. All the artists -- and even some of the costumers -- are such eccentric characters that you get entertainment while you're there. If I had all the time in the world, I'd visit Citizen Ink just to hang out there. I'm already planning my next tattoo... and guess where I'll be going to get it done? :) Needless to say, I highly recommend this place! read more

I just love those guys! :) Living a minute walking distance from Citizen ink, I had first visited for a tragus piercing on 2010 but would not imagine taking my whole family there one by one for tattoos. My first victim was mom, I "bought" her a tattoo as a birthday gift, Joe was her artist to draw, a colorful pisces sign, she just loved it. Then me and my mom again had a similar tattoo this summer, then my father had his 30+ year old tattoo retouched by Soner and you can not say it is a retouch but a brandnew tattoo! The saloon is so clean and hygienic, I do not even have a single doubt when I go there, usually it is hard to find a Turkish speaking tattoo artist in NYC but they even have this problem solved for our parents :) Thank you guyyss! read more

See all

Walking into the studio. 1st ill say the waiting area couches are beyond confortable and very well displayed with the workers portfolios the workers. are some of the nicest, funniest, most skilled group of people ever.. you can tell they enjoy being there being tattooers, and being with eachother. some other people have said this is a "super russian" place.. im italian, and never felt a vide of it at all... yes they speak russian, doesnt make it a russian shop. they all speak great english there. my tattoos... i have 15 from this shop over 5 years. the tattoos all have come out as good as or better then expected, healed well and look amazing even a fewyears later. always a smile and hello/hug/handshake when i come in for a session. they are a family of people, who make there clients feel like family. read more