I loved working with Ligia and Gristle tattoo. It was really easy communicating with them beforehand and taking care of the deposit and scheduling. Ligia is an incredible artist and understood exactly what I was asking for. I was nervous because I needed her to work with an existing tattoo but she did it flawlessly. Her tattoo work also didn't hurt as much as someone of the ones I've gotten in the past. Maybe it's the fine lines, the placement, or whatever, or maybe she's just that good. At $200/hr, her work is definitely worth it! read more

Gristle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I have gotten several tattoos here, and each time has been a superb experience. I've been to probably 6-7 tattoo parlors for my work, and Gristle is by far my favorite. My most recent work, done by Sy was delicate and beautiful. The shop was very well sanitized, spaced, and had multiple covid precautions in place, such as no guests/waiting, mask, distanced setups, and temperature checks. Friendly and prompt customer service and booking. read more

Gristle Tattoo - by Sy, about 2-3 hours old - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I'm only giving 3 stars because the tattoo shop itself is worth going to. With that said, DO NOT go to Courtney Wong. The only tattoo I've ever had that I badly want to have removed or covered up. I found her to be very unprofessional and didn't listen to what I asked for/wanted and just made it her own. Also the shading was awful. read more

Who says their tattoo helped a charity!? I can!!! Dana Glover, at Gristle Tattoo was donating half the proceeds of the wolf tattoo flash to Wolf Conservation Center. I've recently been on a roll with female tattoo artist. Dana Glover was already on my radar! She resembles old school book print making from those leather bound books and there's a darker, gothic style. I loved the line work and shading. It truly is getting your own art piece for a lifetime of enjoyment! Gristle is tucked away on the side street of East Williamsburg. My friend came with me to distract me from the needle ripping into my arm. I chose the bicep for my wolf skull and foliage. So when I show my muscles off, they look extra tough. I WARN you close to the armpit part was brutal!!! Ouch! I'm normally not a big baby. But my friend telling me stories of haunted dolls on eBay going for almost $200 was helpful in the best and creepy way!! Glover took her time and was extremely detailed. This is what you should look for in a tattoo artist. There's also very cool guests tattoo artists. Recently Catxbone from Austin was in town. I tried to get in her 3 day visit but I missed out. You have to keep your eye out and maybe stalk them a little bit. Use that I internet to your benefit. This shop does not stop at tattoos. They also have pretty rad art shows. When I heard of Grace Lang, former employee of Cotton Candy Machine and local artist having a show, I was there. Lang draws super bright, colorful female characters in interesting poses. There's also cool cabinets with gorgeous Arcana Obscura jewelry, pins and patches!! www.arcanaobscura.com read more

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Love the wall of art!!!! Natia is cool as hell and does great work, shop full of other talented artists as well. I drive from south Jersey just to come here .,.,. read more

I came here before at their other location. Brittany was super friendly and nice. She put me right at ease. This time I had my tattoo done by Val, who had reached out to me prior via email and text to discuss the design. He put up with a lot of back and forth and was amazing the day I came in. Both times making an appointment was painless. I would just email and Dina would get back to me so promptly. I also love that you can pay by card. A previous place I went to was cash only which is scary to carry around that much. My friends have raved about the two I've gotten here and love the work. Will definitely keep coming here to get all my work done moving forward! read more

Gristle Tattoo - I love my new tattoo from Val at Gristle! Second tattoo I got from them! - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I have followed Gristle Tattoo on social media for over a year. When I was ready to book with them, the entire process was extremely easy and everyone was so kind, both on the phone and via email. I was traveling from Connecticut so it is worth noting that for scheduling, they are extremely easy when it comes to those of us venturing into the city to see them. I was so excited to have Ligia design my tattoo. I have also followed her on social media for a year and her work is absolutely incredible. I made my appointment easily a few months in advance, and she was able to take the description of what I wanted in a few short sentences and turn it into something that exceeded all of my expectations. I was in awe of her drawing and she was great to work with. She was ready right at the start of my appointment and everything went quickly and smoothly. This was my second tattoo but I was still a bit nervous; she was calm and gentle and took her work very seriously while still be so friendly and warm. I cannot believe how perfect it turned out. I will have all future tattoos done by her. I thought the price of my tattoo was extremely reasonable and they took credit cards both for the actual tattoo as well as the tip. My tattoo only took 2 hours, and it is a great atmosphere where you can comfortably sit with your artist but see all of the great work also going on around you. Gristle was extremely clean and everyone was so friendly, clients and employees alike. It was a great environment with a clean bathroom and comfy waiting area. I found easy street parking and it was super accessible from the highway. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Ligia's lovely work - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Went in for a vegan/cruelty free tattoo yesterday with Dounia. It was an amazing experience. She was super nice, and she was also super gentle. I barely felt anything. She is also a super perfectionist-seeing things I did not see; certainly what you would want in someone placing something permanent on your body. The place had great vibes. The only issue there is the parking. It is super industrial, so you have to be careful. I was able to park a few blocks away where it is more residential. read more

I was tattooed by Baris. I am very unhappy with quality of his work, botched lines (some thicker, some thinner, one very noticeably not straight). I couldn't believe my eyes! Had it redone at another place. Don't waste ur money! Absolutely horrible experience. I have contacted Baris via email a couple of times asking him if we can correct this somehow and he kept repeating same this that this is how it's supposed to look and he sees nothing wrong or sloppy with his work. He said that this is brush stroke method. Called it whatever you want but this picture showes that is nothing but a sloppy job. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Highly recommend Fan, she is meticulous with her work. Keeps her station and the process sanitary. I must've changed my design 5x but she was patient with me during the process. She's very responsive via email. The pricing was quite reasonable which is why I tipped her 20%! If this is your first time getting a tattoo, please don't hesitate to book w/her. She's very light handed and super awesome to work with! Parking was pretty easy, my appointment was at noon on a Saturday. read more

Gristle Tattoo - My new art work by Fan :) - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I signed up with Yelp JUST to write this review. I had been looking for a fine line tattoo artist that specialized in anime tattoos and came across Fan (@fanwuink) at Gristle Tattoo. I consulted Fan via email back in April of the exact reference image (from the manga Attack on Titan) that I wanted to get ASAP so she booked me for her earliest date on June 16th. Fan was patient and responsive to all my questions and concerns. She did not share the sketch with me until the day of my appointment, which I had no problem with because she is certainly talented in her craft. Upon arrival, the studio itself was bright and open with lots of natural light. Fan worked swiftly and meticulously without compromising quality. She has a gentle hand and made sure I was comfortable during the entire process. Her price is $300/hr which is very reasonable for such quality work, she delivered exactly what I wanted and more. Thank you so much for your hard work and talent! P.S. Please check out her old account that was unfortunately hacked (@fantattoo351) for all of her work! read more

Gristle Tattoo - Reference image - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I had a small issue but the owner resolved it really fast. Thank you!

Best tattoos by fan wu great anime manga panel I got from her and would recommend her 100%, definitely coming here again worth every penny!!! read more

I just came from a three hour session with Franco Maldonado and could not be more thrilled. I had a consult with him where I gave him a couple of vague ideas about a memorial tattoo I wanted to do for my mom. When I showed up today, he had a beautiful drawing that far surpassed anything I could have thought of on my own. He was super easy to sit for and fun to chat with as well. A perfect tattooing experience. I will be really proud to have this piece of art on my arm. It's just stunning. Thanks Franco and Gristle. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Perfectly designed and executed by Franco Maldonado at Gristle Tattoo. - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Fantastic tattoo parlor. Baris did an amazing job. Incredibly friendly and professional. Wife and I both got tattoos and really were impressed. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This is one of my favorite places, with incredible artists I'm always happy to recommend to people looking for a great tattoo. I've been lucky enough to have had tattoos done by Ligia, who is so gentle, talented, and kind--her ethereal, delicate style is super swoon-worthy! I can't wait to work with her again. I've also been tattooed by Henbo, and he put me completely at ease from the moment I walked in. I had a wonderful time chatting with him while he worked, and I couldn't love the tattoo he gave me more. I love that this shop does fundraisers for amazing causes, and they regularly bring in some truly amazing guest artists, too. They're friendly, welcoming, and great to work with. read more

Used Gristle to get my first tattoo from Emran. Not only is Emran extremely talented he was very friendly and put me at ease before the tattoo. There was e-mail correspondence before the actual appointment and everything from the amount decided to paying the deposit and setting up the time was a seamless process. I am very happy with how the tattoo came out and I am very glad I used Emran to draw it. Thank you! read more

Had an A+ experience getting a tattoo of my dog on my thigh from Henbo at Gristle. Henbo is a really great positive guy, easy to talk to, and gave me plenty of options as we worked out the details and placement of the tattoo. The final product is everything that I wanted and more-- super beautiful and captured my dog perfectly. I have had heaps of positive comments on the tattoo, less than 24 hours later. The shop itself is super clean, and the customer service that I experienced was much better than other shops that I've gotten work done from and that's super important to me. There's nothing worse than navigating a poor customer service experience when making a decision that will permanently affect your body. Looking forward to coming back to Gristle for future sessions and will be seeking out Henbo in particular. read more

Great experience here! Fan was wonderful- she did beautiful work and was very quick and gentle. Tattoo is healing very nicely and looks great! read more

Gristle Tattoo - Tattoo by Fan - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Friendly staffs, clean place, walking distance from the L train, and not hard to find as it's at a corner. The interior is pretty simple but it's cute. They do digital contract so it saves paper, some things are very basic but some are a little different from most tattoo places I've been to and don't ask if you drank before the appointment and make you sign, so there's definitely some differences. A couple different artists there and it's by appointment. Usually they are pretty booked so it's good to make an appointment early on. Professional when it comes to the actual tattoo job. I had Dan and he was patient, friendly, and did an amazing job for a memorial tattoo that I requested. The only thing is they seem a bit disorganized compared to the other ones I've been to as they aren't always on time or may forget another customer's time or get it mixed up. I'd say it's a decent place with decent prices but might not be the place for a person with extremely busy and tight schedule that needs everything to be very punctual. It's a chill and slow paced shop, I'd say it's pretty relaxing for me but may not be for everyone. They don't take cards at all, only PayPal, venom, or cash so that can be a bit difficult or some people don't trust apps like that then it could be a problem, otherwise it should be fine. They take $100 deposit for appointment booking which will go directly to the payment at the end but I know some people don't like places that requires a deposit to make an appointment, so it really depends on the customers themselves. read more

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Very bizarre experience. Both myself and my fiancé went to Baris at Gristle for tattoos. My fiancé had the most upfront trouble. Baris presented him with a beautiful design but when it came to the actual tattoo, he rushed through the entire thing. He missed filling in lines, omitted a ton of the detail he drew into the design, botched the colors, and for no evident reason. My fiancé was his only client that day. He had to go back to get the missing parts filled in, and half of what he requested, Baris still omitted and ended up tattooing weird extra marks in White that he didn't request at all. My fiancé had to check his work and have him do a THIRD pass at the second appointment before he got something close to what was originally presented. My tattoo went off without any of these problems. But it's a few months later and my florist had presented me with a vision board for our wedding and it was there I saw pretty much the exact design Baris used and passed off as his own. I had no idea my tattoo was plagiarized from someone else's art. I had thought I was paying for an original artist's work. I don't know what this shop is doing to monitor their artists but they need to do better. They seemed a lot more concerned with policing whether my fiancé could sit with me or not than with whether their artist was doing the work he promised or ripping off other artists. read more

Gristle Tattoo - The tattoo sketch Baris presented me. - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I've had two little tattoos done by Dana and had Ligia fix/finish up a piece from another artist. Loved my experience every time I've been by and everyone is very nice. There's a lot of positive lady energy here, something sorely missing in many tattoo parlors. Dana was very accommodating and understanding of my perfectionist nature, patiently reposition the stencils multiple times to get it aligned just right with my existing pieces. She didn't rush through my pieces despite how simple they were and she was also quite gentle, taking her time to finesse the shapes of the tattoo. I am very happy with the two pieces and look forward to them being fully healed. Ligia was wonderful in accepting to fix an already existing tattoo. I wasn't very happy with a finely detailed figurative thigh piece I had gotten a few months back. Ligia was able to fix the image by adding little nuances that really completed the figure and made the form turn in ways that it should. She has a very strong drawing foundation and a light hand, making her perfect for fine line work. In hindsight, I should have come the her in the first place. Overall, I'm completely satisfied with the service here. Sometimes, in tattoo shops, we are hesitant to speak up on the work being done on our bodies lest we appear "uncool" or "fussy," but everyone made me feel very comfortable and we were all on the same page about wanting good work. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Situation: I'm in town for work and have been following Gristle and a few of their artists for a couple of months. On a whim, I decided to email Anka to see if she would have any availability in the next couple days (emailed on a Thursday). She got back to me right away stating that she had some time on Friday afternoon-- PERFECT, being that I was staying in the area with a with a friend. I was able to send her a few referenced (carrots and cilantro in memory of my guinea pig that recently passed away; his favorite snack). Have you ever seen a piece of (art) work that just takes your breath away? That's how I felt when I saw the sketch. It was absolutely perfect in every way. The attention to detail is just incredible. I finally made it in (albiet a little late to my appointment; she was STILL able to accommodate me) and then the magic happened. I don't know if it was the area on which she tattooed (inner front of my calf towards my shin) or what but it was the least painful tattoo I've ever had (and I have several all over). I think it's my favorite tattoo so far. If I didn't live halfway across the country, I would get more tattoos from Anka. Amazing. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Carrots and cilantro by Anka - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Super expensive. The line work on my boyfriend tattoo wasn't completely straight wish I went somewhere else not a satisfied customer.

Poohvis was just simply awesome. Cordial and Sweet. I got a Blackwork Pointalism Elephant tattoo that I designed with him on my right thigh. Everyone, and when I mean everyone has always a compliment about it (of course when i wear short shorts or short skirt) but it's sooo unique and outstanding work, I cant wait to go back. read more

I got tattooed by John the other day, and I am beyond happy with it! John was so friendly and helpful throughout the whole process, his design was gorgeous, and he really put me at ease during the 4-hour session. The tattoo is perfect, and I would recommend John to anyone. (Landon was doing some really gorgeous work while I was there, too, and tattooed my husband a few months ago. He's also great.) Really looking forward to going back for the next one! Bonus: They specialize in vegan tattooing, which was important to me, so anyone looking for a vegan tattoo, check this place out, and then go a few blocks down to Champs Diner for some excellent vegan food. read more

Got a tattoo from the apprentice, Aaron. He was super warm and talkative, which I appreciated. He also did a really good job with the design I wanted and took his time with it. I would definitely get another tattoo from him! read more

Gristle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ligia did my tattoo today and I am just blown away by her skill! I had a wonderful time, I highly recommend this studio especially for florals and line work. read more

They're awesome, friendly and seriously talented. What else could you possibly ask for? My entire mission in life is to guide anyone and everyone who wants a tattoo to Gristle. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Hamsa hand with mandala by John - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Had a great experience getting my first tattoo from Daniel (beautifully done too)! Incredibly friendly and professional, and the quick email replies are a plus. Would highly recommend! read more

Pretty terrible experience (would give zero stars if possible). Won't call the particular artist out but after an initial inquiry I provided all requested information within less than 18 hours and never heard back despite more than 5 follow-ups over two weeks. If you hate actually getting a tattoo this is yer hipster joint. Otherwise if you like places that aren't terrible, I suggest you go to one of the many other establishments within the great city of New York that will not only respond to your inquiries but will enthusiastically do business with you. read more

Truly a vegan shop. The stencil paper is made vegan just for the shop and entire procedure is done cruelty free. There is no funny business when it comes to vegan products. Most shops will lie about stencil paper which if not vegan contains lanolin. The owner is a long time vegan who truly cares about animals.The atmosphere is very comfortable and not intimidating at all like most tattoo shops. All the artists are genuine and kind along with talented. A great place to go if you are vegan or interested in black work/fine line tattoos. read more

Ligia did an awesome floral tattoo for me on my arm. Her style is so unique and she was able to adjust the size smaller for me to exactly what I wanted. Great experience and would recommend, Ligia was great! Prices are fair and what you would expect for a good tattoo NY. read more

I emailed Franco from Australia before I arrived in NY to get a piece done, and he accommodated me on the exact date I was after, which was my birthday -- always a good day to get a new tattoo! The work is perfect, the line work is beautiful. I have a lot of tattoos, and this piece from Franco is easily my favourite, and the best experience I have ever had being tattooed -- professional, respectful, practically painless and exactly what I was asking for. Franco is a great artist who will make you feel comfortable and relaxed, I would recommend his work to anyone looking to get tattooed in New York. Such a great experience, I'm hoping to go back for another piece before I head home. read more

I was tattooed this past weekend at Gristle Tattoo by Victoria. It was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I had previously met with her for a consultation to discuss my ideas. As soon as she showed me her drawing (do you call it that if it's on an iPad?), I was stunned by how on-point it was. She was also happy to make little changes to the drawing, to ensure that it was exactly what I was looking for. As for the actual experience of getting tattooed, this was my fifth tattoo. But, it had been a while since my last one, and I was nervous about the pain. Victoria has such a light hand and this was honestly my least painful tattoo. Working with Victoria was a pleasure and I really could not be happier with the tattoo. I can't stop looking at it; it's what I was hoping for and more! read more

Ideal vegan tattoo shop! Love how they advocate for animal rights and they all seem to be passionate about it. My tattoo artist Kalatu came up with her own design based off of my idea to get Wilbur tattooed on my arm. Can't wait to go back! Plus it's close to Loving Hut!! read more

I first met Landon Morgan at a Friday the 13th tattoo deal at Gristle. He gave me some teeth. They are awesome. When a friend of mine was coming to town and wanted to get tattoos together, I instantly knew I wanted another tattoo from Landon. I left the artistic vision pretty open to him. I told him I wanted a Ballyhoo Bird, a mythical bird with two heads and four wings. There are no visual renderings of the ballyhoo on the internet, so Landon created the only living image of the ballyhoo for me. It's insane, and I love it. Landon is a damn genius. read more

Gristle Tattoo - Ballyhoo Bird by Landon Morgan - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I had the amazing pleasure of having my leg tattooed here at the beginning of the month and I could not be happier with my experience. I specifically came to seek out the talented Landon Morgan and I was ecstatic to get tattooed so soon after my initial consult! I've been tattooed a number of times at various shops and few have been this accommodating. It's refreshing to go to a shop that is super clean and also offers room to roam! Even with all my prior needle experience, I'm still the nervous sort and these sweet babies made me feel super relaxed and took great care of me. I loved this place at first consult and I still love it now that I'm all healed up! I'll 100% be back to have Landon make me bleed again soon! read more

I am so happy with the little Halloween flash piece Dana did for me! It looks wonderful (especially considering my leg started uncontrollably twitching about halfway through; no one's fault, just my dumb body) and healed beautifully. Dana is an apprentice, but she is extremely talented and great to work with. I had a great experience at Gristle and will definitely be coming back! read more

Gristle Tattoo - Came in for the Halloween flash special, and I am still in love with this piece! Dana is a super talented artist, I will definitely be back! - Tattoo Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

So, my girlfriend and I tried to get a tattoo on Friday the 13th. I live literally down the block from this shop. We had underestimated how busy it was and how many people were trying to get that deal, which was fine, we were more than happy to wait. It became clear that the guy working simply did not want to serve us. He refused to take names (after taking some one else s name), and told us to come back in an 2 hours and that it wasn't worth waiting. We did that. He then said to come back in an hour. We did that. Again he wouldn't take names, despite there only being a few people waiting at this stage. He then said to go home since we live so close and to call to check. We called before closing, and they said they just let the last walkin in. Very, very disrespectful to potential customers. I spend a lot of money on tattoos, if he didn't serve us because he thought we were only going to spend a little and not be a repeat customer, well, now the store has lost me, my girlfriend and our friends as customers, and have scored this bad review. Good work. read more