Went to Craig Pokes U with my friend for forward helix piercings and the attitude we got was honestly crazy. When we first walked in the staff seemed super friendly with other customers, but the second it was our turn the vibe completely changed. We waited over an hour just to be helped, then the apprentice seemed annoyed that we were asking about jewelry prices. Sorry for wanting to know what we're paying for? Some pieces were $300-$370 each, which I understand because it's solid gold, but the way we were treated when we didn't want to spend that much made us feel judged and uncomfortable. The actual piercing process was also not great. The piercer smelled strongly like cigarettes while working on my ear (not exactly comforting), and he was really rough with my friend's piercing and kept bumping into her other piercings during the process. Overall the welcoming vibe disappeared FAST and the whole experience felt awkward and judgmental. Save yourself the weird energy and just drive the extra 12 minutes to Mister Finister's Tattoo & Piercing for a much better experience. read more

Now nearly a year later and fully healed I can say CraigPokesU did a terrific job piecing my nose. When I arrived at the adorable shop, I was greeted by one of the piercers and given a variety of options for my first jewelry. One of my biggest complaints is being stuck with an ugly stud for a whole year while it heals. Not only did I find an opal I loved but they were able to change the jewelry color to gold through anodizing. They provided care instructions and offered to reduce the length of the jewelry once it had healed. They take cash and have an ATM in the store but I recommend bringing some to avoid a fee. I will certainly be returning next time I decide on a piercing! read more

CraigPokesU - Nose piercing a year after it has healed. - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The new location is a major upgrade! The jewelry is pricey but the options are pretty & of good quality. The service is standoffish & a tad cold but they're clean & thorough. Worth it in the way that there aren't many comparable options in the immediate area. read more

Had a smooth septum piercing appointment here. Blake was willing to mask while doing my piercing and was both informative and funny! Make sure to bring your cash. read more

CraigPokesU - Septum piercing - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Best piercing experience I've ever had hands down. I only came for jewelry changes, but they colored silver titanium gold for me, showed me the sanitization method and verbally walked me through the entire process explaining what they were doing and checking to make sure I wasn't in pain. I can't remember my piercer's name but they were lovely!! Definitely would recommend this place to anyone asking read more

CraigPokesU - Helix jewelry change - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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This place is an absolute hidden gem. They are efficient, clean, friendly and absolutely worth the money. There is a wide selection of jewelry to choose from. It is a little pricey, and you have to bring cash only for your service, but it is absolutely worth it. I looked at a few other options and was thoroughly disappointed, but this place met all of my expectations and I highly recommended for others. They did an awesome job on my piercings and I will use them in the future if I decide to get anything else. read more

CraigPokesU - Two piercings done. - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Darwin did my nose piercing and he was amazing! Great selection of jewelry, a very clean studio, and everyone was so knowledgeable and kind. Will definitely be back to get more piercings done. read more

CraigPokesU - Nose piercing - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Great staff. Very knowledgeable. Gone here for years, they are very high quality. Jewelry is also top of the line

I am incredibly impressed! I have never had my cartilage pierced and I was nervous. First impression walking into the place, incredibly clean and beautiful. The staff are so friendly and they helped me figure out what jewelry would work best with my vision. I got my conch pierced! I fully trusted my piercer, Jason. He went through the entire process with me and made sure to answer my millions of questions! He made me feel comfortable and when it came down to it, I felt like the piercing didn't really hurt all that much, just as expected! My ear reacted well, it was red with no swelling but a couple hours later (when this picture was taken) the redness was gone. And no pain, I could barely tell it was there! I am writing this review three weeks later and everything is still going great with my new piercing! The tips they give you on aftercare are working well and I feel that it is healing nicely. I am a happy customer I would come back here again for any future piercings and recommend CraigPokesU to anybody looking to get a new piercing! read more

CraigPokesU - Conch piercing - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I got my nose pierced here maybe three or so years ago at their previous location. I want to say that I've had my nose pierced a total of maybe 4/5 times between both sides. There was trouble with keloids and healing. Going here you are paying top dollar for service and premium jewelry and it's worth EVERY penny! When I got my nose pierced here I had NO issues. It healed beautifully for the first time. Fast forward to now I had to go back today l because my lovely daughter somehow managed to rip my nose ring out. It's the same nose ring I was pierced with. Because it's gold,m and dainty it fits for me for work and with my no flare style. I wanted that old thing back and didn't trust it from anywhere else. Today I saw Wade. He was quick professional, efficient and ALL about his cleanliness. That man must of changed his gloves 4/5 times and I'm here for it. Prayerfully my girl will let this nose ring be, but if not you know where I'll be coming back to. The location is clean, up beat and cheerful. Staff is friendly and helpful. Customer service is A1. read more

CraigPokesU - Photo of the nose ring - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I'm here visiting from Los Angeles and have been waiting "the girls" pierced for some time. I'm very picky about my piercers, and getting pierced back home just wasn't feasible due to scheduling constraints for several months. I did some research on piercers in the area and was pleased to find CraigPokesU. Upon walking in about 10min early to the appointment, the staff was already preparing the piercing implements. Quick anatomy check and everything was set to sterilize. Blake greeted me, walked me through everything, and made sure I was totally comfortable. Blake ensured I wasn't uncovered long, explained everything as it happening, and gave excellent aftercare instructions. I even got a candy after! I am so impressed with the professionalism and cleanliness of everything. 10/10, would recommend! read more

This is a top-notch piercing studio! Blake was our piercer and not only is he extremely skilled, he is also funny and a supremely lovely human! I've had a few piercings by Blake and my offspring has had many... every single one turned out great! read more

CraigPokesU - Nostril and septum piercings - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Very, very professional piercing salon! I've got two piercings here and was given instructions to return in a month for a complimentary check up-- literally had never experienced thjs before at any other salon. Everyone is knowledgeable and personal, too. Couldn't ask for a better experience! read more

Clean and modern place for piercings; professional (and they pick up their phone); accepts walk-ins (I did wait for one hour though; you can book an appointment online and pay $30). Gotta love their creative and unique name: quite literally Craig pokes u! Piercing takes place in individual rooms (a nice touch compared to, say, Claire's at malls). Their decors are quite joyful and unique, with lots of bee themed drawings and a sign saying "welcome to our hive." Note: This is a cash-only business (they have an ATM right there). read more

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Phenomenal! Phenomenal! Phenomenal! From start to finish the staff at CraigPokesU offered superb service. I took my niece here Wednesday night for birthday piercing. I was able to sign up for the last slot online and when I called beforehand, they confirmed they did take minors. When we arrived, we were cheerfully welcomed! The staff immediately engaged with my niece and catered to her feelings of being scared. They gave her the choice of one piercing at a time or both at the same time. She chose both at the same time. They started to explain the process to her while I filled out paperwork. After filling out the paperwork, she picked out her earrings. I had a few people coming to surprise my niece and the guy piercing my niece's ears (Blake) was beyond willing to wait on them. Once she picked them out, the earrings were taken to be sterilized. While they were being sterilized, Blake explained to my niece how everything would go. She had to consent to the process so we went over the consent forms. After that, she sat in the chair and Blake continued to break the process down to my niece. Her other two aunties surprised her and both the guys began the piercing processes. They told her what they were doing every step of the way. And when it was time for the piercing they told her to take two deep breaths and then poke! It was all over. These people are professionals and they know how to work with kids! Please send your kids to CraigPokesU! They are awesome! read more

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10/10 Experience at CraigPokesU last night. I was acknowledged the moment I walked through the doors. All staff were extremely professional and polite. Blake, was the individual that helped change out my earring. He was extremely gentle and simply awesome! Overall, I'd definitely use CraigPokesU again. This place is simply beautiful inside and very clean. read more

CraigPokesU - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

so I just walked out from such a great experience. I thought my ears needed to be re-pierced because I couldn't get my earrings through the holes. this establishment had great reviews so I came here. the gentleman was able to we open my holes just with some pressure. and he said no charge. really nice people giving service for no charge. how amazing!! WOW! I can see why they have a stellar reputation. if you're in Arlington this is the place! read more

CraigPokesU - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

My conch was definitely pierced at the wrong angle. It was also a super long process and expensive. I feel like it is super close to my head and it really hurt to get pierced. Now I'm not sure if I can put a hoop in it later. I'd like a refund if possible. My piercer was Jason and he was really nice but definitely messed up the angle. It's pretty easy to tell from these photos and no, I did not realize at first because I'm not a professional piercer. read more

CraigPokesU - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I meant to leave a review then but I came in a few months ago and my boyfriend & I BOTH received the wrong shape piercing we paid extra $$ for. We realized ourselves after we left that they gave us the cheap ones. Had to go out of our way to come back to get it fixed and they were completely unprofessional. I was shocked... they didn't offer an apology, acted like they could care less, and kept the used piercings. So double check you are getting the correct piercing you paid for before leaving read more

Got my 4.5 year old daughter's ears pierced at CraigPokesU. We had an amazing experience! Blake was very kind and confident and shared all the details with our daughter in fun, interesting ways. They are very experienced in piercing for kids. They had two people available by chance so pierced both ears at the same time, tandem, which really helped make the process so much smoother. Even when my little one was a bit nervous they were patient and kind but helped her move through it. Would highly recommend! Just a mention that we tried Rowan before this for our little one and had a bad experience there. She opted not to go ahead with it there. The experience here was a gazillion times better compared to Rowan, would not recommend Rowan for kids piercing at all! Book at CraigPokesU without hesitation! read more

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The shop is immaculately clean . The piercers are professional, knowledgeable and extremely caring, especially with children. My granddaughter and I both got our ears pierced and it was a truly wonderful experience. read more

I must say, I have had my best ear piercing experience here. I haven't experienced a lot of the pain and bleeding I normally experience, so I am so happy about that, and it's just been about two weeks. It is really a beautiful piercing studio, and I love that they have a wide array of jewelry to choose from. Not a fan of the cash only system, but they do have an ATM in house for convenience. It is also on the expensive side, but all in all, my experience was very positive. read more

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Ear lobes pierced. Professional, knowledgeable and caring team from beginning to end. Craig was our piercer. He made sure we were comfortable, that we knew the piercings were sterilized and showed the sterility indicators. Explained what he was doing as well as aftercare and thoroughly answered all questions. A clean facility. Friendly staff. A great experience here. Highly recommend. read more

When it comes to piercing (purpose of my review), I am very selective about who will do the work. Piercings and tattoos are very special additions in my opinion. Piercing goes wrong...there is infection or perhaps not straight. Tattoo goes wrong...you are stuck with it until you get it covered or removed. After searching for great places, CraigPokesU came up on Yelp with outstanding reviews. I decided to drive the 50 min. to the shop (after calling to confirm their hours). From the first call, the staff was extremely nice. She let me know that appointments would be prioritized, but I was more than welcome to walk in. I took a chance and it was the best chance ever! They take all the necessary precautions to ensure you understand the shop's responsibility and YOUR responsibility for the work being done. They are a cash-only establishment, so bring cash or use the ATM located inside (like I did). The shop is immaculately clean and organized. The temperature was comfortable and the pricing was fair. I noticed some reviews mentioned it being a little pricey. However, I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for (most of the time). I did not mind paying more for a trusted service. CraigPokesU is a trusted service!! My piercer was Jason. He was super thorough with every single thing. We talked about the job, decided on jewelry, paid for everything, and went to work. He took so much pride in his technique and confirmed my satisfaction with everything before he did his work. I felt super comfortable, and now a month post-visit, things are looking amazing. I will come back here for all my enhancements. Please check them out if you have desires for piercings, tattoos, or body jewelry. read more

Been a while since I went there but I had a great experience. As a middle aged guy I was apprehensive about checking the place out. I just wanted to pierce my right ear lobe, having pierced my left one myself maybe 30 years earlier. I got an appointment, service was good and the piercer was able to match the placement of what I had done myself. The place is a little pricey but I thought it was worth it. If you don't have an appointment, they will take a long time to take care of you (I have that experience too) so make sure you're planning in advance! read more

Great experience! Very professional, quick and efficient! Will definitely recommend and come back for my next piercing!!

Very professional! Explained every step of the process and gave the option to pierce both ears at once which was great for my very nervous daughter. Even gave her a ring pop at the end (she wanted me to mention that). Exceptional service from Darwin. Would definitely recommend. read more

I'm sure this place is great otherwise and I had high hopes because of previews reviews I read, but I came in asking for replacement screw-shaped jewelry for my nose piercing and waited 30+ minutes just for them to say they don't carry that kind of jewelry, and that a stud (smaller than what I have now) would be more expensive. Just wish they could've told me that when I walked in the door so I wouldn't have had to wait so long! **Edit: I completely understand that the shop can often get busy but the same receptionist that checked me in (the one I initially told I was looking for screw-shaped jewelry) is the same person that spoke with me thirty minutes later about not having screw-shaped jewelry. I feel as if that information could've been shared during the initial check-in interaction when I asked specially about this type of jewelry. Had I waited for one of the piercers themselves, it would've been a different story. read more

I've gone to craig pokes you before they came to their new location and they are fantastic and still are I had a great experience with my piercer, named Kevin. She was amazing. I got my third lobes done. I did want to get my bellybutton pierced, but I was unable to because they said I didn't have the right anatomy for it They only have the standard traditional belly button rings, and so that was disappointing and the piercer who does belly buttons at that time when I went, he did not really seem like he was looking forward to even attempting to do my belly button or even looking to see if I had the right anatomy he seemed like he was expecting/wanting someone with someone who's skinnier with a non-collapsible belly button so I did get a bad vibe from him. I didn't really like him. I would not go to him cause he just seemed very nonchalant and unwilling and I don't mean unwilling to do my piercing. I understand if you don't have the jewelry to do a floating naval piercing. He just seemed uninterested in me. I wish I knew his name so I would not get pierced by him. I wouldn't even let him do my lobes if it was him so I was very happy with Kevin who did my lobes thank you Kevin and thank you Craig pokes you, and thankfully, I went to another piercing shop the same day who did have floating naval piercings and I got my bellybutton done that day. Thank you wicked goddess. read more

A little pricier than expected but this was one of my best piercing experiences. Everyone was super professional, nice, and clean. Sometimes it's hard to come by a kind piercer lol. Darwin was the best! He was great at explaining what he was doing as he was doing it and I'm super happy with my conch piercing. They have nice jewelry. Their whole setup is super clean and I like the cleaning spray they sell!! read more

I would definitely let Craig poke me...and you should too!! If I had started at CraigPokesU, I wouldn't be dealing with my current issues. I made the trek out to this store based on a recent IG post. Their page posted a pic of an issue with a nose piercing that is similar to an issue that I am having. The piercer at the store, sorry I forgot his name, informed me of my issue and how to get rid of it. Since I was there, I also asked about an issue with my navel piercing and the same piercer gave great advice! This store has lots of cute jewelry for all types of piercings and they have excellent customer service. For my next piercing, I am coming here!!! read more

Great experience for our child getting their ears pierced. Easy to schedule, very knowledgeable staff, incredibly sanitary, and great bedside manner. Highly recommend! read more

No pain and not scary. Amazing jewelry selection for your new piercing. Saving my money to come back for more.

So expensive! It seems they charge a premium for a great experience, but our experience could have been better. It seemed hygienic, which is key, but Elliott was incredibly unfriendly. Overall, way overpriced for the experience we had, and I'll be looking elsewhere for our next piercing. I made an appointment online for my elementary age daughter to get her ears pierced. I thought the standard lobe piercings were $70, per the online booking, and figured there'd be a range of earrings to buy from them, but I naively estimated max $150 total. It turns out that lobes cost $80, plus $15 for a can of saline spray, and their cheapest earrings are $35, per earring. (They have titanium or 14k earrings.) All in, getting my kid's ears pierced with titanium earrings cost $253!!! The guy said the titanium earrings we chose were $75 each but they rang up at $78 each. He also assumed we had hundreds in cash and applied a cash discount that we had to back out when we said we were paying with credit card. Pricing was just very confusing tbh. Aside from unclear pricing, the worst part was Elliott was so unfriendly, and it was incredibly hard to understand him. I appreciated him talking through his steps but he mumbled and my daughter couldn't understand anything he said and he would pause and just look at her. I think he was waiting for her consent to continue but it just intimidated her. The best part was when Jason came in to do the tandem piercing (great offering they have!) and he seemed much much friendlier. Oh, another negative was we had to wait a while, even though we made an appointment. We waited at least 20 minutes before someone came to show us earring options. Btw, you can't even fill out all the forms until you pick out earrings, so no point in going early for your appointment. read more

I came back here for a third lobe piercing and once I arrived, was met by Rob who did my second lobe piercing. When asked what I wanted, I said a lobe piercing and Rob looked at my ears. He told me my lobe didn't really have enough space for a third piercing as it would be too close to the edge. He offered alternative piercings I could get done that day but I was set on another lobe piercing. Although I was disappointed, I appreciated the honesty and advice. I genuinely love this business and recommend them to all of my friends and family who are looking for a piercing parlor. read more

The service was awesome. The ambiance was great. Very knowledgeable staff and the professionalism is top tier.

Amazing experience! Have had a few piercings here now and all have healed very well!! Piercings sold to me all have lasted and I love them. Will go again. read more

CraigPokesU - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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This was the fifth piercing I have gotten from CraigPokesU, and it is the only place I will ever go for the rest of my life! The staff is above and beyond here, and the shop delivers everything you could ever want. Their shop is always spotless, they have a great jewelry selection, and they are experts at their craft. Jason did my most recent piercing, and I truly could not have asked for a better experience. I was anxious to get my septum pierced, but he walked me through every step and it was nearly painless. CraigPokesU is a bit pricier than other shops in the area, but the small price difference is well worth the quality of service that you receive. I couldn't recommend them more! read more

This business deserves more than 5 stars. Outstanding service from the moment you enter the shop. The shop is as sterile as an ICU hospital room. It's clean, festive, and located in a nice area. The piercer is very knowledgeable & honest. My appointment was scheduled for one service but after the initial consultation, the piercer provides his expert advice against what I was seeking. He did offer another service recommendation which I took. The cleanliness and precautions taken in this shop is world class. I recommend this shop to anyone nationwide. read more

Went yesterday to have my nose piercing changed from a hoop to a threadless flat back nose stud and it was a great experience! I really appreciate them , andwhat they did for me! read more

CraigPokesU - #1 piercing shop in the dmv - Piercing Near Me - Arlington, Virginia