Had my first tattoo done yesterday by Matte. Love it!!! Was a great experience - will be back in the future for another tattoo. Expected it to be really painful, but it wasn't bad at all. If you're thinking of getting a tattoo done, this is definitely the place. I'm sure they are all great tattoo artists here, but since Matte is the only one that's done a tattoo for me, I can only speak about him. He is definitely a great artist. read more

Evolution Tattoo - Great tattoo done by Matte!! - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Carlos did an amazing job on my arm piece!! I am so in love with how it turned out. I messaged him the day before I wanted to get it done, very last minute but he was down to do it. I was only in Reno for the week and if I ever come back I will definitely be getting another one done by him! I highly recommend!! read more

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Was in town with my Man for the weekend and we wanted matching tattoos. I called Evolution and asked did we need an appointment or could we just walk in. You can tell a lot about a place by how they treat you over the phone. Some businesses only give the time of day to customers who are physically there, potential costumers who call are only a waste of time in their minds because who knows if you're really coming or not? RED FLAG to me if you are rude when I call your business. When I called Evolution my questions were answered with patience and I liked the friendly vibe that was being put out. I was told that we could walk in and was even offered the option to leave my number to be called back with a convenient time to come in that day but we just decided to come over. Fast forward a couple of hours later and we were getting set up with Jon (who just so happened to be the person who'd answered the phone when I called). Jon was amazing. Professional with personality. He did my tattoo first and we were so impressed with his work that my Man got our matching tattoo and then another one. Jon is so talented. We are already planning on coming back to have Jon bring to life the many tattoos that are trapped in our heads. I highly recommend this place. Come here if you are in Reno and don't bother with other places that are too bougie to even quote you a price on a piece. What we left with was QUALITY work at a FAIR price. We love what you did Jon and I hope you get to see this, thank you!! read more

Love this shop. Always clean. Current COVID19 friendly. Johnny Bavaro is the man...great work!

I got a cover up done by Danny. He helped me determine the size and what would best for this cover up. Once all of that was figured out the tattoo didn't take too long at all do. I was in and out in less than two hours. Plus the conversation was nice read more

Evolution Tattoo - Before - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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I had issues changing out my nose stud to a hoop and couldn't get it all through for some reason.. messaged Adam and he told me to come in and he'll fix it. Showed up and he repierced my nose and put in what I wanted all within 10 mins! He's super nice and patient. read more

I went here for my first tattoo yesterday and worked with the artist Matte. He was very helpful and patient with me throughout. He also added so much detail to it and it looked a lot better than what I had thought it was going to be. I highly recommend this place and they are very clean. read more

Evolution Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

I really love my tattoo from Carlos! I wanted a tattoo of my dog's name in script handwriting. I had a great experience at Evolution Tattoo. read more

Evolution Tattoo - Tattoo from Carlos - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Drove from the Bay Area to get my first tattoo and DANNY was amazing ! I could t have asked for a better first experience I felt so comfortable and at ease and the next time in Reno I will definitely come back here! I recommend everyone else to come if they're in the area! read more

Evolution Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

I've, so far, only dealt with Adam for a few different piercings. But I can't say enough good about those experiences. Adam was very clean and careful about about protecting his jewelry and piercing tools from any contamination. I also was impressed with the fact that each piercing was done very quickly and with very little pain. After an almost disastrous and very painful Draith re-do, that turned out to be an even worse rook, from another shop, I will make the trip to Reno for any future piercings. Adam even came in on his day off to accommodate me. Now that I've found my next bit of ink, I'm anxious to meet the tattoo artists in the shop as well! The vibe is so chill and the people are great! Go to Evolution Tattoo!! read more

My favorite place in Reno for tattoo therapy. Clean, great atmosphere, & rad artists. I've been worked on from a few different artists here but Missi is my go to... You can't really go wrong here. read more

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These people do bad business. They will tell you one price, do your tattoo, then tell you another price to pay. The bastards even lied in all of our faces after our group already heard what she said. They don't communicate with each other at all and then bully their customers into paying for a job that isn't even good. Fuck Dave and his entire crew. Eat shit asshole's read more

It all began when I got cancelled on by my other artist and I called evolution last minute and they threw me in NO PROBLEM and I met Danny! This guy has a very light hand and made it the best experience I've ever had with a tattoo. He's definitely one to go to! He has a rock start attitude and he made me feel very safe and comfortable in the process. He was very honest about his work and he is very humble and kind. If y'all are looking for a guy to go to Danny is that guy! I will definitely be coming back for another one soon! read more

Evolution Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Been here once for a tattoo from Vienna and just came back for a piercing from Adam! Vienna was super friendly and made my friend and I totally comfortable through the whole process. Adam is a pro at what he does! My sister has seen him for all her piercings and has not had one issue. I was nervous at first and he was very nice and quick! Both piercings turned out really nice with really cute jewelry read more

Johnny was the man. Had my kids' names tattooed, 4, on me and he fit me in same day. Needless to say, I am very happy with them. My wife even decided to get one. This place is awesome. Sick atmosphere, great people. I'm from Sonoma County, CA and I have no problems riding out here to get another. read more

Evolution Tattoo - Kids' names from Johnny. Def riding the 3 hours to come back for more - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Artist seemed so annoyed that I wanted a tattoo... so I left. Maybe this place is good but talk to an artist before going in. There's nothing worse than having an artist making you feel uncomfortable and a burden to them. read more

Got the job done. Mixed up the earrings and put them a little too far on the edge of my ear. I had to eventually take them out after them getting infected. The guy who pierced them seemed either really sick or really high. Did not seem to be in the correct state for piercing people but he did only charge me $100 for three piercings. I also heard he doesn't work head anymore so good luck to anyone else read more

My friend n I decided to get tattoos done and had appointment with Danny. He took walk ins and we got Carlos n Vienna. Very happy with the art work n tattoo. Prices were great read more

Evolution Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Adam at Evolution has done all of my piercing for the last 5 years, I have and will always go to him. He's very friendly and gets the job done quickly and painlessly! Not only is Adam amazing but he uses great jewelry I have never had an problem with anything I have gotten done by him. I recommend him to everyone! read more

John was absolutely phenomenal! He gave me a tattoo that looked better than I could have even imagined. Will definitely go back to get tattooed by him again!! read more

Today I dealt with Matt. I got my first tattoos the lines are clean and he has a light hand. I got exactly what I wanted. And I love, love, love them! I did get a hand tattoo and the coolest thing was that he questioned and verified that I had thought it through, showing that he cared for how I make my living and the I was 100% certain I understood tht it would be visible all the time in the workplace. 100% percent I recommend him. My bf got his completed by Danny. I can't speak entirely for his experience but both artists proved themselves talented and friendly. Along with the others that are employed here. Thank you kindly. I had a wonderful experience and look forward to more tattoos to come read more

They greeted you at the door and helped right away Adam did my piercings and was wonderful he was very patient and didn't mind that I asked to have them replaced. He was also very quick and thorough. Definitely going back I finally found a piercer to stick with read more

UPDATE 11/11/12: Since my original review, I was contacted by the owner who seems to be a very genuine, professional, and friendly person. He did not ask me to edit/update my review like many other business owners might do, he simply apologized for the experience I had at his shop and said he would love to earn my business back if possible. Although I was disappointed with my last experience at Evolution, I think that if I still lived in the area I would be willing to give the shop one more try. I know that the artists there are very talented and I was truly impressed with the message I got from the owner. Original: When I wanted to get my first tattoo I looked around and decided on Evolution because the artists had impressive portfolios and the customer service was good. I liked the atmosphere and if I'm going to be paying that amount of money for something completely permanent, I want to be happy with the entire experience. I went in, was matched with Danny after I explained what I had in mind, and made the appointment. When I went back that weekend to get the tattoo, I was on time for the appointment but I remember waiting for quite a while. In the end I overlooked that because Danny was so funny and personable plus he gave me a great tattoo. The second time I went back for another tattoo I asked for Danny again because I knew I liked him and his work. I thought it was a little strange how even after I showed him the tattoo he had done the last time, he still had no idea who I was and it was only about two months later. Anyways, oh well. I'm sure he does his share of work and it didn't bother me too much. He was equally funny and did a decent job the second time around. The third time I went to Evolution I was with my boyfriend. We each wanted only a small tattoo so we decided to go with whoever was available. They were simple tattoos and we trusted Evolution, not a big deal. Vienna was the one who ended up doing our tattoos and we both were happy with the ink we had done but to be honest I was unhappy about the attitude I felt like I got from the artist. She acted like she was so much better than us, for what reason I'm not sure. Typically when I have this feeling my boyfriend will say "I didn't notice that" and I'll tell myself I'm just overly critical. But when he agrees with me about getting a nasty attitude from someone, that's how I know I must be right. He agreed with me about the experience. The 4th time I returned I was really hoping for better luck. I went in with a friend who had never been in a tattoo shop and happens to be the nicest person I know. We were greeted by someone at the front desk and I was in a great mood, excited to plan my next piece. Whoever was there that night and helping customers gave us a snarky and sarcastic feeling right off the bat. When I told him the quote I wanted to get tattooed on my thigh, he laughed at me like it was a joke. He asked me if I knew how big it was going to be since it had 30 or so words. I was definitely aware of the quote I had picked. He told us to go back and talk to Doug... When we went back to see Doug, he was finishing up on a client. He took the print out I had of the quote I wanted to get done and asked me what area I was going to give him to work with. I said I wanted it on the side of my thigh. He asked me how much of my thigh I was planning on dedicating to it and I asked him for his opinion about a nice size for the particular tattoo. He handed me a sharpie and told me to draw him marks of where I would want it. I felt clueless. I didn't come into the shop with a map and graph and plan of exactly the way I wanted this done, I came in with a quote and a place on my body hoping for some opinion and guidance from people I thought were experts. I had an open mind and was hoping to get more ideas on how to make this a great tattoo from the artists at Evolution. So as I'm standing there with the Sharpie in one of the most awkward situations of my life (and it's really a challenge to make ME feel awkward)...the client who was being worked on before me is making rude comments to/about me and laughing just like the first guy we encountered. Are you kidding me? First of all, I didn't ask for your opinion and this is none of your business. Second of all, Doug was right there with him laughing and shaking his head like I was the funniest thing they'd seen all day. You would think I had asked for a tattoo of a gold fish and a dandelion on my butt or something. These guys acted like we were SUCH a joke. The client before me left and Doug, acting like this was such a burden, helped me draw lines for some placement on my thigh. Then he told me how busy he was and when he would have time to do it. I was in shock from being treated so ridiculously, so I told him I would just have to look at my schedule and give them a call. My friend and I left. Let me tell you, I was in a FAR from happy mood. We did not return. read more

Quick and easy. Made sure my brother was comfortable the whole time and we were in and out.

I've had 2 tattoos done here with Johnny and loved it. Had an appt via email today with Carlos and was treated like a piece of $hit. Was told to go away because he had walk ins before me . I showed him my email and he said the owner made the appt not him and he needed a $60 deposit to even deal with me. The people he had already started drawing for felt so bad they offered to let me go ahead and he said NO I've already started you. Rude rude and rude read more

WHY THIS PLACE ROCKS: -the establishment is completely clean -walked in and he was able to take me then and there but also worked with me for appointments. He was extremely accommodating with me. -JOHNNY was my tattoo artist and he was completely patient with me in picking fonts -He never rushed me, in fact, he encouraged that I be 100% sure -His price quote was absolutely fair -He was super friendly and made sure I was doing okay during the tattooing -He guarantees all his tattoos so if there is fading, I can come back in for a free touch up! read more

I received a tattoo from Evolution Tattoo on 8/5/2015 (a friend received one as well). While the tattoo was taking place, my friend witnessed my arm swell up almost instantaneously (way outside the range of normal but I didn't notice because I was closing my eyes & wincing in pain). The tattoo artist, John, stated everything was normal. My friend even made a comment about his tattoo bleeding more than normal and again, John assured us all was normal. This tattoo hurt worse than any others I've had done. I paid for the torture that was inflicted upon me, received my aftercare sheet and was on my way. Fast forward 2 weeks later and I ended up in the ER due to an infected, swollen, horrible looking situation on my wrist, numerous times being asked if I burned myself. I followed the aftercare instructions as I have with all my other tattoos but this was WAY different. The ER prescribed me 4 different items and after almost a week, it is finally starting to heal. I doubt it will ever look "normal" due to the scaring :( I've never had an allergic reaction to any tattoo ink and the ER doctor reassured me that allergies to tattoo ink, while possible, are rather rare. Infection it was! HORRIBLE!!! I paid $80 for something that most people think is a burn. I even tipped the guy which is a joke because he spent more time on the phone arguing with his teenage son than he did paying attention to the customer sitting in front of him; but as one Customer Service professional to another (which he clearly WAS NOT), I felt a sense of obligation to tip. If I had a crystal ball...I wouldn't have gone in for this torture but rather I would've RUN FAR and FAST from this retched place! read more

This is the second and third tattoos Missi Robbe has done for me. She came highly recommended by a friend of mine and she deserves that kind of reputation. She's been helpful in planning and her artistry is top notch. I was very concerned with one because lettering can go so horribly wrong. The lettering is even and well placed on my arm. Overall, I couldn't be happier! read more

Went in today as a walk-in, I expected to be told to make an appointment but was sitting and chatting with Danny within 5 minutes. Not only was he stocked to do my Harry Potter tattoo, but he was extremely kind, knowledgable, and hilarious. He made me feel extremely comfortable and made my childhood dream of having Harry Potter artwork a reality. Not only did he take my idea and run with it, but he also transformed my vision into an amazing piece of artwork. I loved my experience at Evolution and will definitely be back as soon as I can! Thank you for a great experience and killer tattoo, I LOVE it! Lastly, the shop was clean and very open! Thank you Evolution and Danny for a wonderful experience! read more

JON DOES AN AMAZING JOB AND IS SO TALENTED!! Everyone here at Evolution Tattoo is amazing in general. I recommend going to Jon. Very friendly and Very talented and professional. Did an amazing job on my tattoo and for a good price ! read more

First off lets start by saying, I'm from out of town. My best friend recently moved to Reno and we decided that we wanted to get a matching tattoo for the road trip we took getting her moved here last winter. We started planning this out months ago, what we wanted, researched for picture ideas, placement, and where we were going to get it done. I relied heavily on Yelp and thought that Evolution was going to hold so much promise. We looked at their website and absolutely fell in love with everyone's work. Unfortunately the actual experience didn't hold up to even one's average standard. The time came when we wanted to go get it done. We were walk-ins and must have picked a good time because the place was dead. We received a warm welcome from one of the male artists. He asked us what we wanted and then threw us on to the female artist, I won't name names but there is only one there. We told her our idea, showed the picture and she was very cold through out the whole situation. Her demeanor made me not want to get a tattoo. We left completely depressed but after thinking we changed our minds and went back the next day. With more than 2 hrs left until they closed they told us that no one was available to do the tattoo. We were shuffled inbetween different people and told to come back the next morning. Basically the whole experience was very off putting, especially for first timers. We weren't looking for someone to hold our hand and go over every single detail since we already knew what we wanted, but we wanted a good experience and some creative input rather than being shown tattoos they had already done with general idea. It seemed as though the woman expected us to want the pattern she had already done. I was under the impression that tattoos are about creativity not copying. One star just because yelp doesn't let you have zero. read more

I went to Evolution for my first tattoo in 2012. I was underage so I had a parent sign off on it. I worked with either Missi(almost positive it was her) or Vienna, I don't remember which one since it was so long ago. I wanted a simple clean tattoo, and simple it was. I was open to artist interpretation and I didn't really get any changes. The only thing she did was choose what colors were going to be used, and I felt like I didn't have much of an opinion on them, but I did want dark blue. I was in there for and hour, hour and a half. It wasn't bad experiencing overall. I loved the tattoo when I left. I spent $120 on it. I will attach then and now pictures. I'm very unsatisfied with the final outcome. The ink is slowly bleeding out, the lines are not good at all, the shading is terrible(shading what shading?!), and worst of all, people ask me to this day, if it says TAMPON. It's so embarrassing. Here are the pictures. I hope this warns you against going to Evolution and using the artist. Update: I have talked to other artists about fixing it locally, and they have great ideas. It'll be $250+ to cover. I have also been messaged by the owner and they offered to fix it as well. I probably won't return there because of my lack of faith. The only way I would is if I got to choose who fixed it. Even then, I don't want it fixed, I want it covered up. read more

Evolution Tattoo - Then. - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Adam is absolutely the best!! I've had to go to him 3 diff times and he always does his best to help. He doesn't make me feel like I'm bothering him or annoying him with all my questions haha. He's very laid back and understanding. If your looking to get a piercing I deft recommend him. read more

Adam, the piercer, is amazing. I was having issues with my dermal and I tried to remove my own dermal and it did not turn out well. I went in and Adam had it out in seconds. Highly recommend. read more

Johnny is the best! Moved here recently from the Bay Area and needed to find a new shop to go to. Shop is very clean,nice atmosphere. Staff is friendly and warm. Best experience getting tattooed so far! ( coming from someone with a whole sleeve of tattoos) :) still have to go back to get my piece finished but I highly recommend this shop. - Bald headed scalywag read more

Went to see Doug with a plan for a roses theme sleeve. He seemed confident that he could accomplish it. Portfolio looked good so we went with him. After the first sitting disaster was all over the tattoo. Lines were shaken and he blew the tattoo out in many places. This is the photos below. Nothing against the shop as a whole but the artist. Ended up going to a much more experienced place Black Cat Tattoo and after the first sitting it is starting to really look amazing. read more

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Funny, the ratings for tattoo shops are either 5 stars or 1. Could this be the sole responsibility of the artist/shop/experience? Or is it that people get inked in haste and regret it, then blame it on the shop? Getting tattooed by a good artist means that clients should also possess a certain level of empathy toward the operation aspect of a shop. Yes, it's your piece, on your body, but the artists in these shops work HARD, sometimes 12-15 hr days, and it's not just doodling on paper. If you want a good experience and result, a lot of it comes from your approach. I've been to several parlors, only a few of which I was the one getting ink. Now, sidepiece, foot, wrist, and sleeve-clad, I have a more astute sense of what a good shop is. Evolution exceeds the standards of my criteria listed below as to what this comprises of. Granted, I've only had work from Mickey, but seeing others come and go and getting to know the artists who give the place its personality, I will say - Evolution has diverse, solid talent. 1. Cleanliness - yes, I want the place to smell sterile, maybe a hint of the yummy balm that's slathered all over your skin after. Evolution has their licenses/whatever immediately visible when you walk in. Each artists takes extensive precautions to clean their space between clients. Mickey once told me how many paper towels he alone goes through in a day - it was nuts. The place is clean, and they still let a good amount of fresh air liven it up. 2. Friendliness: Not overly-bubbly-bend-over-backwards like you'd find at a retail establishment. Tattoo shop friendliness means you are welcomed, promptly asked "how can I help you," and then dealt with honestly and accordingly. This has been my experience each time, whoever's up front is always upbeat and makes sure nobody's standing around aimlessly, even on a slammin' Saturday. Comparatively speaking, I've been to other shops where they hardly acknowledge walk-ins, let alone, give them the chance to describe what they're looking for or book an appointment. 3. Straightforward communication. Tattoos are a precise endeavor; Mickey and I have worked extensively to complete a sleeve that began with an owl he did inside of my arm 3 years ago. I've never felt compromised, disappointed, or un-trusting that it would come out "wrong". He's consulted with me a lot on different suggestions for placement, shading, color spectrum, etc. I've seen others like Dan do the same thing. Every tattoo experience is different, but if you know what you want and are forthcoming with your artist, you will wowed by this shop's offerings. read more

Came to Reno for a weekend girls trip walked into the shop and were helped by Carlos. He saw all three of us back to back and did an amazing job. Quality work takes time and if you have the patience Carlos is well worth the time! read more

Walked in last minute for a quick tattoo. Very clean and friendly service. Left happy. Would highly recommend and return if I lived in this area. read more

Friendly staff, and my artist did a great job on my tattoo. Only thing I would critique would be that we never seemed to start on time. Usually ended up waiting about 20 minutes past my appointment time before we started. But other than that I had a good experience and would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to have a tattoo done. read more

Evolution Tattoo - Medusa piece on my leg done by Dave - Tattoo Near Me - Reno, Nevada