1. Guru Tattoo

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San Diego, CA

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Guru Tattoo

4.8 (419 reviews)
Closed • 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

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Response time

6 hours

Response rate

100%

Services - Guru Tattoo

Tattooing

Tattoo removal

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Recommended Reviews - Guru Tattoo

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Reviews With Photos

The tattoo received.
Suzanne M.

Bean was amazing and patient. Tattoo healed up beautifully. 5 star treatment I would totally recommend this location

Nicole T.

Amazing, incredible, wonderful My tattoo artist was Nathalie Osuna and they are the B E S T. I couldn't be happier. My out of town besties and I got matching tattoos and Nathalie was such a sweetheart about it! It was my first tattoo and Nathalie was beyond patient and kind, explained the process and gave me three little pokes in three different places so I could get a feel of the process. I didn't like the first two spots the stencil was placed and Nathalie was chill and genuinely made me feel comfortable enough to speak up. They make cleaning a priority which also put me at ease. I can tell they love what they do. Seriously the best first experience. I will be back, dude! :)

Hubby's first tattoo

We decided to get a tattoo today, called up and booked an appointment and JAY was the man. He's a wonderful person, and an awesome artist. I highly recommend Guru tattoo and Jay

Bean's flash art
Colie G.

I've gotten a few pieces done by Bean. I love his work and did a great job communicating every step of the way. I was more than willing to follow him to Guru. I've had great experiences at both shops, Little Italy and PB.

Fingerprint heart tattoo.
Donna G.

Great people. Great vibe. Great artists. Went to Guru Tattoo in Pacific Beach and met with Kenny. Kenny is a class act. I came across impressions of my father's fingerprints from when he passed away in 2023. I wanted a tattoo of his fingerprint shaped into a heart and Kenny made it happen. I know it was a simple design as Kenny's artwork is by far incredible, but he took the time with me and made my simple tattoo into something I will cherish forever. Not only is Kenny a great artist but he makes you feel at ease and is able to turn your ideas into reality. I can't want to get another tattoo from him. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Tattoo of roses and magnolias
Kate B.

Just got a 2x6hour session finished by Shane. Amazing realism flower tattoo as a memorial piece. I'm very happy with the outcome, and the service was great. Ironically, my first tattoo I ever got was also from this shop about 20 years ago, it was a great experience then as well.

Bible tattoo

Brett was a great artist and was accommodating with drafting and placing the tattoo in the right location. Artwork was amazing. Thank you.

My little Huck from the book Tress of the Emeral Sea by Brandon Sanderson. Tattooed by Andi at Guru Tattoo PB.
Chanel P.

My experience at Guru was great! I definitely recommend Andi. She is very welcoming and did a wonderful job bringing my tattoo idea to life. I'll definitely be going back to her in the future.

Nat did an awesome job on my tattoo. The quality of the work exceeded my expectations, and every detail was done with great precision and care. Nat was professional, friendly, and made sure I was comfortable throughout the entire process. The studio was clean, and the atmosphere was welcoming, which made the experience even better. On top of the excellent craftsmanship, the price was very reasonable compared to the quality of the tattoo. I'm extremely happy with the final result and would definitely recommend Nat to anyone looking for beautiful work at a fair price.

Bob W.

I've been thinking about getting my first custom tattoo for a few years now and I found my way to Guru Tattoo. Spoke with Sean about what I was looking for and one thing led to another and we're now half way to being done with a tiger/snake sleeve and it's getting real. This shop is very professional and very clean. The other artists are very nice and you can just tell no matter what you want they can do it. I can't wait to see what Sean will do with my tat. Going to be sick!

IG exchange

I had a disappointing experience at this shop. I had a confirmed appointment and even communicated ahead of time that I'd be about 10 minutes late. When I arrived, there was someone sitting right at the front desk who made eye contact but didn't greet me, acknowledge me, or offer any assistance. He stayed on his phone the entire time. After waiting awkwardly with no guidance, I left. First impressions matter, and this one wasn't great. Update: After I posted my review, the shop reached out via Instagram with multiple long messages. Initially, I was told their front desk staff had stepped out. Later, they claimed the person I saw was "just a client" and that they reviewed camera footage. The tone of the messages became dismissive and condescending, suggesting I "didn't wait long enough" and implying I was being rude. At no point was I disrespectful. I simply showed up for my scheduled appointment and expected basic acknowledgment. The follow-up communication only reinforced my decision to go elsewhere. Response to business: The "free consult" point is irrelevant. I showed up for a confirmed appointment and would have had no issue paying if required so framing that as a favor is unnecessary. When I arrived, someone at the front made eye contact but didn't acknowledge me at all. From a client perspective, that is the front desk. I waited, received no guidance, and left. What's more disappointing is the tone of your response--focusing on "47 seconds" and making this personal instead of simply acknowledging the experience. If you could not accommodate that I was 10 minutes late, we could have rescheduled. I stand by my review and my experience. Review sites are for people to "review" and I'm sorry that this business does not understand that. My impression is that this business will bully you into removing reviews. I ended up blocking this business on IG because the messages continued regarding my review. Most of my reviews on yelp and Google are pretty positive so I'd like to think if I felt compelled to take the time to write a negative review, that my experience is valid.

My daughter posted this on her instagram.
Laura H.

I didn't realize I posted my review under a different account (that I didn't know I had), so I am reposting it here. I knew Shane Orduno 20 years ago when he and my daughter went to school together. I found him through a mutual friend on Facebook and was blown away by the artwork I saw! I've been wanting to get a tribute tattoo for my mom who passed away 9 years ago and for my stepdaughter who we lost to cancer last year. My mother loved purple roses and my stepdaughter said to think of her whenever you see a dragonfly. I reached out to Shane and set up a consultation. We met just over a month ago and spent an hour going over what I was looking to do. Shane was wonderful through the process and we set up an appointment. I showed up on time, but Shane had to do some adjusting of my tattoo artwork. No worries, I had all day and had my daughter with me to be my emotional support. We went up to his studio and we reworked a couple other things on the art work, but he did something remarkable (at least to me!), he drew on my shoulder in addition to the stencil. This is the first large tattoo I've ever considered and I put my complete trust into his artistic abilities. I was correct in doing so. I laid on my stomach for 4 hours total, my back was killing me but it was worth it (I'm almost 62 with a bad back). Shane was not heavy handed which was nice. The result of Shane's work was amazing. I'm attaching pictures so you can see what an amazing job he did. If I ever consider getting another tattoo, Shane will be the first person I call!

Guru has become my go to place for my tattoos. I have been in both little Italy and PB locations. Most of my tattoos were done by Patrick Sweeney who is the master of skulls, snakes and anything medium to large scale. Lina also did one for me on Fri 13th. So many artist with so much style varieties. This place is top quality. I can trust any artists at Guru.

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3 months ago

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Guru T.

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3 months ago

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6 months ago

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Heck yea!!!!!

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6 days ago

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10 days ago

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4 months ago

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2 days ago

Kenny was great, thank you so much! I appreciate your time and attention to my appointment. I'll be back

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2 months ago

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Love the tattoos Wendy!! Thank you for the awesome review!

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13 days ago

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2 months ago

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These tattoos came out rad!! Thank you for the 5 star review Colie!

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7 months ago

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1 month ago

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Guru T.

Can’t wait to see your finished piece Andi!! Pat is the man!

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12 days ago

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5 months ago

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Wow, this came out stunning! Thank you for the amazing review Kate!

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2 months ago

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Thank you for coming in Wayne! Love it!!

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1 year ago

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3 months ago

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Thank you for the amazing review Tang! Nat’s the best!

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

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Thank you for the additional review Laura! You are the best!! :)

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2 months ago

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3 months ago

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8 months ago

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This looks great Kim!! Thank you for the 5 star review!! :)

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6 months ago

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4 months ago

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These came out so good Stephanie! Thank you for the 5 star review!

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1 year ago

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Beautiful tattoos Charmagne! Can’t wait to see you back soon :)

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4 months ago

Went for a walk in & they were welcoming & helped me right away! Had a great session and looking forward to coming back!

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9 months ago

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This is so awesome Nanci! Can’t wait to see the fam back for more! :)

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5 months ago

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2 months ago

We absolutely love bean! He did an amazing job on matching tattoos for 4 of us! Would totally recommend!

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Wow Avah! Thank you for this phenomenal review! Bean is the man!

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5 months ago

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Thank you so much for the review Isabella! We love Izzy!!

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7 months ago

Wow! Five stars! Great artists, great vibes! Nat Osuna is the best and I will definitely return!

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Thank you Bryan!! Can’t wait to see you back!!

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1 year ago

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We love Andi!! Can’t wait to see you back for more Jamie

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3 months ago

Lu was absolutely amazing. Didn't even hurt will definitely be getting another tattoo here in the future

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2 years ago

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8 months ago

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8 months ago

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This is awesome Alyssa!! Thank you for the review!

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1 year ago

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10 months ago

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10 months ago

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Page 1 of 11

Ask the Community - Guru Tattoo

Do you guys take walk ins?

Yes, we do!

Hi there! Was wondering if you have any artists there willing to do a cover up? I know they are a completely different animal. Another artist recommended your shop and I could send you pictures of what I'm looking to cover up. Thank you!

Hi Alicia! Hope you are well. Thank you for reaching out to us. My name is Cris and I can assist you… 

I recently moved to San Diego and I have an unfinished Japanese sleeve on my arm and need to finish it and get more work done. Is that something that you guys can do? Thank you

Hi Brad! Hope you are well. Thank you for reaching out to us. My name is Cris and i can assist you with your inquiry.… 

Hello I'm 17 but looking to get a tattoo around my 18th birthday and was just wondering what the usual time between consultation and appointment is?

Hi there! It all depends on the artist you choose. Some of our artists have availability within 1-2 weeks, and others are months out. Feel free to email info@gurutattoo.com for more information when you are ready.

Do any of the tattoo artist specialize in UV tattooing?

Sorry, no UV ink specialists here.

I was wondering if I'd be able to get a quote on a tattoo without coming in? :)

Sure. I’ll do my best to help with that. DM any reference, and let me know what you have in mind. Size and placement too! Thanks.

Interested in a small tattoo. What is the shop minimum?

The shop minimum is $100, and the hourly rate starts at $200.

View All 8 Questions

Review Highlights - Guru Tattoo

“Aaron did my first tattoo 18 years ago, before Guru, and when I wanted another piece I searched him out.”

Mentioned in 29 reviews

Read more highlights

Evolve Tattoo Removal

Evolve Tattoo Removal

4.9(109 reviews)
6.6 mi

Jordan is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and she always keeps the clinic feeling clean and…read morecomfortable. She's a demon for the temporary pain she inflicts upon us, but we as a people forgive her. Overall, I'd highly recommend her for tattoo removal.

If you are thinking about tattoo removal, Evolve is the place you want to go. Seriously. I am…read morepretty critical about businesses that have to do with making clients feel comfortable when in a vulnerable state and I am so impressed by my first interaction with Evolve. Look, I`m in my 40s now and have some wisdom, but in my 20s, I was getting tattooed without really thinking about the artists skill or if I really, truly wanted the tattoo. Now that I`m older, I`m in phase two of my tattoo journey, which includes both covering up some pieces and now, removing some pieces either as a full removal(or as close to it) or lightening. Thus my journey with Evolve has begun. I had my consultation and first session with Mary today. I had no idea I was going to go through with a session on the spot, but after talking with Mary and feeling really comfortable and pleased with the information I received, the professionalism, and Mary's good nature and attitude, I went ahead and dove in head first. I went to talk about 3 different areas I wanted to work on and ended up staying to work on the bigger piece on my back. Go big or go home. Really, though, I should have started with a smaller piece because I`m not going to lie, laser tattoo removal is painful. Yes, your mileage may vary and it will depend on the size and area of the tattoo, but truthfully, it is no walk in the park. Mary was incredibly kind and sensitive to the pain involved with this process. They have numbing cream if you need it and with the laser, you get a nice arctic blast of air over the area. I have a lot of tattoos all over, and this was spicier than I thought. The care that Evolve places on their process and the passion they perform their work with is unmatched and you will be in the best hands during your sessions. Need to take a lot of breaks? Totally fine. Communicate and you will be met with kindness and understanding because this is not a comfortable process. I will provide an update as I go along my journey. I want to schedule my next session, for my smaller pieces, and get those going as well. Appointments are easy to schedule, you get text and email reminders, and the part that everyone wants to know about: Pricing. VERY reasonable. I did one consultation at another place a couple of years ago and said forget it because of the insane(in my opinion) cost per session for a very small piece. You won't know how many sessions you will need, of course, but they sometimes have specials or package deal that will take a bit extra off of already doable pricing. The only minor note I have is that parking can be tricky. This is not Evolve's fault. It is the nature of the area. So, may the force be with you. Get there early and you might have to do a little walking.

Photos
Evolve Tattoo Removal
Evolve Tattoo Removal
Evolve Tattoo Removal

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Beauty Babe Club - My before

Beauty Babe Club

4.9(90 reviews)
3.3 mi•La Jolla

I can not express how happy I am to have found Beauty Babe Club & Yesenia. Her skills, expertise,…read moretalent amazed me. I had multiple surgeries for medical issues to my forehead, affecting my brow and the symmetry. They also had previously micro blading with faded color & thick heavy lines. I needed a lot of help. Not only did Yesenia correct the color, but she took the time to make sure my eyebrows were completely symmetrical, fuller & more natural looking. The results made me look more youthful and feel better about my face. I've received multiple compliments on how I have such perfect brows now. I absolutely loved every minute spent with her! Such a good experience! -Stacey

I wanted to share my experience with lip blushing because I was a little nervous at first. My lips…read morehad some uneven tone and asymmetry, and I just wanted something natural to enhance them. Yessenia was amazing. She was so patient and really took her time mapping my lips until I was completely happy with the shape before starting. That made me feel really comfortable and confident going into the process. This is my before, and you can see the unevenness and lack of definition. After the procedure, my lips look more even, softly defined, and naturally fuller without looking overdone. The color healed into a really pretty, natural tone. Also, definitely don't skip the second appointment, that's where all the fine details come together. Trust the process! Overall, I'm so happy with the results. It gives me a more polished look without needing to wear lipstick all the time.

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Beauty Babe Club - After second appointment

After second appointment

Beauty Babe Club - See these brows?!! 'Nough said! So good!  Thank you Kim @ Beauty Babe Club. I would trust no1 else in the world with my face.

See these brows?!! 'Nough said! So good! Thank you Kim @ Beauty Babe Club. I would trust no1 else in the world with my face.

Beauty Babe Club - Microblading

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Microblading

Funhouse Tattoo

Funhouse Tattoo

4.8(469 reviews)
0.4 mi•Pacific Beach
•$$

Highly recommend going to Brandon!…read more Came in with my mom and sister who had never gotten tattoos. They were only in town for a couple of days and Brandon was very flexible with scheduling and accomadating both of them. His set-up was incredibly clean and he was very patient and kind to my sister who was scared of needles. He took the time to explain the process, make sure they were both comfortable, and paused before continuing to ensure they were okay. He was also honest about placement and recommendations for sizing so that the tattoo would heal the best and not fade excessively fast. We took a while for 2 fairly small tattoos due to conversation and changing our minds about placement, but he never rushed us and made the entire process the best it could've been. Overall, Brandon was professional, patient, and geniunely caring toward his clients. The line work was clean and well done, and the tattoos came out exactly as discussed. 10/10 would recommend especially if you're a newbie to tattoos. Thank you!

Leo is a true professional and a gifted artist. My brother and I got coordinated tattoos for which…read morewe had a tall order: similar concept but totally different styles. Leo created two incredible and unique designs and executed them perfectly. Our tattoos healed flawlessly and it was a pleasant experience all around. Can't recommend this guy enough! Couldn't ask for a better first tattoo experience

Photos
Funhouse Tattoo - Freddy Krueger by Skott K.

Freddy Krueger by Skott K.

Funhouse Tattoo
Funhouse Tattoo - Japaname pice by Chelstine

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Japaname pice by Chelstine

Tattoo Ink Spot - Summer working on the amazing artwork

Tattoo Ink Spot

3.8(179 reviews)
0.1 mi•Pacific Beach
•$

Absolutely 10/10 service, work, and attitude! I've been coming here with all my friends since 2020,…read moreand I honestly wouldn't trust anyone else with my piercings or tattoos. I've gotten 5 ear piercings, 2 nose piercings, my septum, belly button, tongue, and 2 small tattoos here--and I KEEP coming back because of KEITH the shop owner. He's done pretty much all of my piercings, and he is seriously the sweetest and most awesome person. He always has the best, chillest vibes and makes every experience comfortable, fun, and stress-free. You can tell he genuinely cares about his clients and his work. One of my absolute favorite piercings has been my smiley, which Keith has actually done for me THREE times! The first time, it eventually eroded away was able to get second one lasted about two years before i decided to retire it. Then, FOUR years later, I decided I wanted my smiley back--and somehow Keith was STILL able to repierce it for me! He seriously made my day, mi whole weekend being back in sd . i was thrilled & was special. Keith so genuine & generous. I'm always so happy with his work, and I genuinely love coming back to this shop. The entire Ink Spot crew is amazing, and I've had so many great experiences, conversations, and memories with everyone there. The talent, dedication, and overall atmosphere are unmatched. If you're thinking about getting pierced or tattooed, I HIGHLY recommend coming here and asking for Keith. He's the best, and the whole crew is incredible! 10/10 every single time!

Terrible shop don't go here it's dirty and the people that work there are clearly tweakers! I got a…read morehorribly shallow belly button piercing done here that was badly off center by an old man with shaky hands

Photos
Tattoo Ink Spot - My friend's super infected tattoo

My friend's super infected tattoo

Tattoo Ink Spot - Tattoo from Addie, summer, and jake

Tattoo from Addie, summer, and jake

Tattoo Ink Spot - Keith with another happy client

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Keith with another happy client

Guru Tattoo - tattoo - Updated October 2026

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